The number of bands of the 80s that never released an album isn't something easy to calculate. Without the modern recording technologies of today (one can record a full length on a room at home and put it on digital platforms to sell), things where truly tough, and if the readers have access to some Demo Tapes of those days, they'll have the clear depiction of how things were hard. On the 80s, to release a Demo Tape was a great achievement, and an EP or an album was the lucky of a lifetime, and some never had such opportunity. This is the reason of why the coming of "Pedal to the Metal", of the North American quintet THE WRATH, is important. These songs are from their two Demo Tapes of 1985 and 1986, showing the core sound of what is called US Heavy Metal (or US Metal, as you want): a fast and heavy music with clear influences of JUDAS PRIEST (that is more important for the consolidation of US Metal model than IRON MAIDEN in reality), plenty of catchy melodies and choruses inherited of 70s North American Hard Rock, and the refined technical appeal usual to bands of the country.

It's something that fans of OMEN, RUTHLESS, SAVAGE GRACE, BITCH, CITIES, TWISTED SISTER, MALICE and other acts of those days must hear, but take care: this quintet bears a lot of personality and their music, even today, bleeds in pure energy. As expected, the sonority between the tracks of the two Demo Tapes had differences (it's usual), and the remastering done by Kostas Scandalis boosted the sonority, that even recorded with a 4-tracks device, sounds good and heavy, allowing the songs to be understood. Obviously the sonority bears the features of an 80's recording, and it's truly the charm of the album. "Number #1" (a battering ham of crude energy and excellent melodies, with the usual vocals of those days), "Midnight Madman" (a faster and energetic track, with thundering rhythms of bass guitar and drums and amazing melodies, and this one appeared on "Metal Massacre 9", after the band ended), "Prison" (a heavier song with rhythms with a slower appeal, allowing the guitars to weave remarkable melodic riffs), and "State of Mind" (another faster moment with clear US Metal melodies) are from the 1985 Demo Tape.

On the other hand, "Bone Crusher" (fast and thunderous, it bleeds in pure melodic energy and spreading hooks to all sides, with another fine good work on the guitars), "Behind the Wheel" (that keeps the same faster appeal of the previous, with excellent vocals, on this Demo using a higher set of tunes than on the previous one), "Pedal to the Metal" (the speed decreases, but the energy and melodic appeal are higher, with bass guitar and drums guiding the rhythms in a very good way), "Children of the Night" (a 'put-the-house-down' track with the usual tempos of the 80s, with energy blowing the VU meters), and "Bombs Away" (full of melodic hooks contrasting with a savage aggressive appeal) show that the band was evolving to a more aggressive form, but keeping its original musical core.

After listening to "Pedal to the Metal", one can say that destiny was unfair with THE WRATH and that they deserved a chance back then, but the ones to blame are the fans of Metal (yes, we are the guilty ones), because our attentions are turned to greater names, never opening our heart to something new. Think of that when hearing this album.