Rage--Perfect Man (1988)
Rating--8.0
Rage, if you're unfamiliar with them, play straight-forward power metal. They have heavy guitar work that is bruising, yet retains a crisp distortion sound. Intense drumming and rhythm sections are also featured. Fans of Judas Priest, old Anthrax, Metal Church, Running Wild, Sanctuary, Nevermore, and other such "classic" heavy bands should love them. No keyboards, few effects.
The band wass a trio, and on this album bassist/lead vocalist Peavy Wagner's voice can occasionally become a bit strained, as he tries to hit certain high notes at times that don't come off smoothly. All of the music itself is excellent, but the vocals hold a couple of the songs back. But on the other hand, there are one or two songs where his vocal style sounds phenomenal, and he will greatly improve over the band's career.
Highlights include "Don't Fear the Winter", "Death in the Afternoon", "Time and Place", and "Round Trip".
HOT CHOPS: The chorus of "Don't Fear the Winter" is a section which shows off Wagner's vocal talents, as it's both heavy and melodic at the same time. Also, the end of "Round Trip" again is an instance where the vocals are most certainly "right".
TRACK LIST: Wasteland/In the Darkest Hour/Animal Instinct/Perfect Man/Sinister Thinking/Supersonic Hydromatic/Don't Fear the Winter/Death In the Afternoon/A Pilgrim's Path/Time and Place/Round Trip/Between the Lines
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