There have been countless of Heavy Metal bands in the 80s, especially in the USA. Some made it through and some didn't survive the test of time or merely died out as their local scene shifted into a different musical hole called Grunge / Hardcore and whatever that isn't really Metal. Don't know why but for a moment there I felt as if I was experiencing a déjà vu, as if I actually wrote this first sentence before. Well I don't really care. Back to the Heavy Metal bands I talked about just a few seconds ago. STEEL VENGEANCE, a part of a big swarm of acts serving the truest form of the genre, seemed to have made it quite well through their prime hungry days. Throughout their career they have been implementing traditional Metal outputs along with Hard Rock aspects A nice fusion in the value of KISS, early MOTLEY CRUE, RATT, TWISTED SISTER along with heavier acts as MALICE, LEATHERWOLF and OBSESSION. However, as I mentioned earlier, every glory sometimes has its end and the band died out after their fifth album in the early 90s. Recently they made a comeback. Still with no new album on the way after all these years but at least they can put their trust in Metal Mind Productions that rehashed and remastered their first three albums. So stepping up to the plate is the band's debut "Call Off The Dogs", originally released in 1985.

Something that I usually mention about 80s traditional Metal albums, and I mean the reissued and remastered ones, is that you can't judge them in comparison to the material released today because certainly it would display these past creations as mere backward steps in the face of the modern, somewhat a bit more sophisticated when it comes to technical playing and production utilities. Furthermore, both newcomer and veteran Metalheads know that larger sum of the 80s material inspired contemporary band's on the counts of their concepts and sometimes even sound. So you can't really make that contrast between a son and a father right? Don't take this the wrong way, but I am not asking for your opinion so forgive me. After that being said, I will refrain from getting too much out of context again.

"Call Of The Dogs" can be considered as sort of a commercialized Metal album continuing the Hair Metal madness of those colourful days but with numerous intelligent hooks that kept its flow as forthright as it should but a bit over the top. Other than the album's crunchy sound that just captivated my ears and brains while recapping some of the greatest moments of that inspiring decade, the band kept a kind of stability within its material like a walking in a straight line. Songs like "Victim of Love", "Time to Live, Time to Die", "3 O' Clock In The Morning" and its prevalent brother "Devil's Lair"are right in your face tracks smothered with soaring vocals that seemed a bit Glamish at various points, haunting riffs, basic but charming rhythm sections and traditional structured patterns. However, though I am a fan of the straightforward slaps, I took pleasure in the emotive, classic oriented ballads as "Our Love Was Yesterday"and "Dreams Come True" where the band's inventive precision in assembling a power ballad is widely felt. The bonus featured demo "Never Letting Go", which was recorded a little after the album was released. This track has everything a hitter can offer such as amazing riffing, basic but catchy, enjoyable chorus. Without being too creative, STEEL VENGEANCE sealed a great album and paved themselves the road ahead.