US and Canadian Heavy Metal 7"-scene
is still one of the least explored niches in the domain of Old Metal Vinyl Collecting, at least in relation to its size and popularity. Hence forum member and long-time fan & collector of rare American 7"s, Kristian "Khnud" Knutsson has taken on this impossible feat of documentation, making this the 3rd and - surely in the long run - largest Singles-Special of The Corroseum to date...
A note on rarity Most of the releases reviewed herein are to be considered rare, usually released in either 500 or 1000 copies by small independent labels, or by the bands themselves. The rating is therefore an attempt at approximating how often an item shows up for sale.
= Rather common, a copy can most likely be found without too much effort
= Uncommon, still turns up a few times per year
= Rare, you'll most likely have to search a bit before you find one
= Very rare, expect to have to search several years before one turns up
= More or less impossible to find. The number of known copies can be counted with the fingers of one hand
Also, please note that rarity scores might change over time. A good example would be the Hazardous Waste 45, which was once believed to have been released in only 200 copies and was at that point a very expensive and desired item. Many years later another 300 copies were discovered in a warehouse and the item is, at the time this is written, reasonably easy to find at an affordable price.
A note on ratingReviews are subjective. What I think is great, someone else might think is crap. And the other way around. I strongly suggest using the reviews as a general guide and not as a definitive quality indicator.
= Bad. You probably don't need this unless you're a manic completist (like yours truly)
= Ok, but nothing spectacular
= Good, definitely worth checking out
= Great, buy or die!
= You need this more than oxygen...
Finally, I'd like to thank John Haupt, without him this project would never have been possible.
Obsessed, The - s/t EP
(Invictus Records, 1983)A legendary release in every way. With the exception of a few PENTAGRAM singles in the 70's which were all significantly more psych oriented, and some demo cassettes by TROUBLE and SAINT VITUS, this EP represents the birth of North American BLACK SABBATH inspired doom metal. At least on vinyl, as far as this reviewer knows. Which means, uh you know, this EP is absolutely bloody mandatory in every serious metal collection. Rating: - Rarity: - Country:
Obsession - Running EP
(E. B. Productions, 1982)Part quirky, party chaotic, hard rock version of HELLION, much due to the female vocalist. While she's very capable (and thank goodness she's not trying to sound "naughty"!), the music isn't quite up to par. The weirdness (for lack of a better word) of the solos and riffs surely causes this EP to stand out against more generic releases in the genre, but there has to be a method to your madness too, at some point. Rating: - Rarity: - Country:
One Eighty - U.S.A. / Out Of School (Time For Rock & Roll)
(Air , 1984)Rather unspectacular run-of-the-mill hard rock in the vein of most other unspectacular US hard rock bands. Considering the name of the b-side this was most likely aimed at a high school audience. Rating: - Rarity: - Country:
One To Create - When You Dance / Love Wasn't In Your Eyes
(private, 1988)This one doesn't show up very often, and perhaps that's just as well. "When You Dance" is a rather generic hard rocker and the ballad "Love Wasn't In Your Eyes" just fails in every aspect. It's the musical equivalent of bathing in a pool of cheese while having melted cheese poured on top of your head. Just avoid. Rating: - Rarity: - Country:
Organized Confusion - Runnin' All Over / Wife Beater
(Destiny, 1982)I've always considered "Runnin' All Over" to be the musical equivalent of a zombie apocalypse. Advancing slowly and lumbering, but unstoppable and in the end utterly unrelenting. There’s just no escape from this single riff monster, as it will eventually hunt you down and bring you to your knees. "Wife Beater" continues in a similar vein, a muscular "tough guy" hard rock/metal hybrid. The only drawback is a slightly out of tune vocalist, otherwise this would have been a completely outstanding release. Rating: - Rarity: - Country:
