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One of those rare, inbetween-eras labels that did their very best to carry on the legacy of classic 80's Power- and Prog Metal bands into The Decade Of Darkness. If they succeeded or not is mostly an issue related to the quality (or rather, lack thereof) of the recording artists at the time rather than the label itself. In short: "A" for Effort.
This list constitutes little more than the first half of their entire output, and even that is further into The Dark Realm Of The New than I usually wander, but I didn't have the heart
to stop until their last not-bad original release, being our ol' trusty faves RIOT and their passable "The Bretheren Of The Long House" album. Some notable post-1996 material would be CRIMSON GLORY's "Astronomica", a TANK best-off CD and a couple of albums by Brazilian 90's Power Metal-familiars ANGRA.
Albums start right below, singles & promos start here. At the bottom I've added the releases of short-lived Rising Sun sublabel Bad Taste Recordings.
| Cover | Cat# | Artist | Title | Format | Year | Special | Comment | Search | |||||||||
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RSP PD 001 / IRS 94221 0 |
Gypsy Kyss | When Passion Murdered Innocence | LP/Pic-LP/CD | 1990 | The band supposedly so captivating it inspired someone in Germany to build an entire label around them sounds like a heavy aor-take on The Smiths. By that I really don't mean it's awful, but Metal it is not... On black and blue marbled vinyl. |
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The band supposedly so captivating it inspired someone in Germany to build an entire label around them sounds like a heavy aor-take on The Smiths. By that I really don't mean it's awful, but Metal it is not... On black and blue marbled vinyl. |
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RSPLP 002 | Psychotic Waltz | A Social Grace | LP/Pic-LP/CD | 1990 | I really enjoy some parts of this album, though sometimes I find they have and overly convoluted way of putting those parts together. Clearly a band that takes some effort getting into, and I'm not quite there yet. I do get where all the praise is coming from tho' |
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I really enjoy some parts of this album, though sometimes I find they have and overly convoluted way of putting those parts together. Clearly a band that takes some effort getting into, and I'm not quite there yet. I do get where all the praise is coming from tho' |
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RSPLP 003 | Platinum | Iceman | LP/CD | 1990 | I guess by 1990's standard you could label this 'dated'. I'm all for dated, but this streetsy Armored Saint-derivative leaves me numb. |
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I guess by 1990's standard you could label this 'dated'. I'm all for dated, but this streetsy Armored Saint-derivative leaves me numb. | |||||||||
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RSPLP 004 | Gypsy Kyss | Songs From A Swirling Ocean | LP/CD | 1991 | Not Metal. Prog-aor. |
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Not Metal. Prog-aor. | |||||||||
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IRS 942223 | Battlefield | Still And Ever Again | LP/CD | 1991 | Since I hold the excellent, genre-defining German Speed Metal of the debut mini in such high regard I really can't give this 180-turn towards prog-Metal an honest review. *Insert first half of my PW-rant above here* |
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Since I hold the excellent, genre-defining German Speed Metal of the debut mini in such high regard I really can't give this 180-turn towards prog-Metal an honest review. *Insert first half of my PW-rant above here* | |||||||||
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IRS 942224 | Hades | Live: On Location | LP/CD | 1991 | Live albums - can't kill 'em, can't stop buying 'em anyway coz you're a hopeless completist. |
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Live albums - can't kill 'em, can't stop buying 'em anyway coz you're a hopeless completist. | |||||||||
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IRS 942225 | Taramis | Stretch Of The Imagination | LP/CD | 1991 | Are the vocals sour or is he just twisting'n'turning the harmonies in a way that makes it sound so? Does it matter? Coming back to this album after a long absence I gotta say I do enjoy their PowerProg quite a bit more than I remembered doing years ago. Better run down in the cellar and see if it's still left untouched in the for-sale crates... |
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Are the vocals sour or is he just twisting'n'turning the harmonies in a way that makes it sound so? Does it matter? Coming back to this album after a long absence I gotta say I do enjoy their PowerProg quite a bit more than I remembered doing years ago. Better run down in the cellar and see if it's still left untouched in the for-sale crates... | |||||||||
| IRS 942226 | Dead Head | The Feast Begins At Dawn | LP/CD | 1991 | see Bad Taste Recordings |
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see Bad Taste Recordings | ||||||||||
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RSP 942227 | Various | Weird Thoughts - Volume I | LP/CD | 1991 | Featuring: Gypsy Kyss, Psychotic Waltz, False Witness, Hades, Platinum, Mystic Force, Taramis, Mike Dickes, Battlefield and Arcane. |
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Featuring: Gypsy Kyss, Psychotic Waltz, False Witness, Hades, Platinum, Mystic Force, Taramis, Mike Dickes, Battlefield and Arcane. |
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IRS 972228 | Y | Y | MCD | 1992 | Not Metal. Sleeze. (The continuation of Danish Glam Metal band Geisha, i.e. also featuring Yenz of Brats-fame. LP-version only on the Danish label Mega Records in 1991.) |
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Not Metal. Sleeze. (The continuation of Danish Glam Metal band Geisha, i.e. also featuring Yenz of Brats-fame. LP-version only on the Danish label Mega Records in 1991.) |
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RSP 942229 | Gypsy Kyss | Groovy Soup | Pic-LP/CD | 1992 | Not Metal. Poppy rock w/ a prog-edge. |
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Not Metal. Poppy rock w/ a prog-edge. | |||||||||
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IRS 972.230 | Mystic Force | The Eternal Quest | CD | 1993 | They're no match for the early works of Heir Apparent, Crimson Glory or Fates Warning, but it's a nice & proper tribute nonetheless. |
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They're no match for the early works of Heir Apparent, Crimson Glory or Fates Warning, but it's a nice & proper tribute nonetheless. | |||||||||
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IRS 972.231 | Y | Rawchild | CD | 1992 | Not Metal. Post-sleeze of the typical early 90's variety.. Once again the LP-version was only available as a Danish pressing on Mega Records. |
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Not Metal. Post-sleeze of the typical early 90's variety.. Once again the LP-version was only available as a Danish pressing on Mega Records. |
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IRS 972.232 | Michael Dickes | Unevel Alley | CD | 1993 | Acoustic ballad-pop from Gypsy Kyss-member. |
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Acoustic ballad-pop from Gypsy Kyss-member. | |||||||||
| IRS 972.233 | Dead Head | Dream Deciever | CD | 1993 | see Bad Taste Recordings |
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see Bad Taste Recordings | ||||||||||
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IRS 972.234 | Mas Optica | Choose To See More | CD | 1993 | Awful modern/altern'ish/prog'ish hard rock w/ annoying vocals. |
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Awful modern/altern'ish/prog'ish hard rock w/ annoying vocals. | |||||||||
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084-62152 | Jackal | Vague Visions | CD | 1993 | As with the more famous Metal Church-release below, this was only available on vinyl in South Korea, here on the Jigu Records label. |
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As with the more famous Metal Church-release below, this was only available on vinyl in South Korea, here on the Jigu Records label. | |||||||||
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084-62162 | Battlefield | Spirit Of Time | CD | 1993 | Less erratic than before, this one sounds like a less exciting "Turn Back Trilobite" (Sacrilege). |
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Less erratic than before, this one sounds like a less exciting "Turn Back Trilobite" (Sacrilege). | |||||||||
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084-62172 | Metal Church | Hanging In The Balance | CD | 1993 | Also in digipak w/ 3 live bonus tracks. At the time, the only official vinyl version was the South Korean pressing on PolyGram/Blackheart Records. Review |
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Also in digipak w/ 3 live bonus tracks. At the time, the only official vinyl version was the South Korean pressing on PolyGram/Blackheart Records. Review |
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084-62182 | Sadist | Above The Light | CD | 1994 | Not too original prog-Death. Licensed from Nosferatu Records (1993, also on LP) |
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Not too original prog-Death. Licensed from Nosferatu Records (1993, also on LP) |
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084-62222 | Riot | Nightbreaker | CD | 1994 | It's not only the cover of "Burn", the Blackmore-worship shines through on plenty places all through the record. A delightfully unhip 1994-release which - while no milestone in the band's discography - should please both FDU- as well as Thundersteel-fans. |
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It's not only the cover of "Burn", the Blackmore-worship shines through on plenty places all through the record. A delightfully unhip 1994-release which - while no milestone in the band's discography - should please both FDU- as well as Thundersteel-fans. | |||||||||
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084-62232 | Vicious Rumors | Word Of Mouth | CD | 1994 | Not a complete 'modern disaster' but close. Also as digipak. |
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Not a complete 'modern disaster' but close. Also as digipak. |
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084-62292 | Jag Panzer | Dissident Alliance | CD | 1994 | Well, shit happens... (A special edition in magenta tray with silver logo also exists) |
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Well, shit happens... (A special edition in magenta tray with silver logo also exists) |
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084-62312 | Jackal | A Safe Look In Mirrors | CD | 1994 |
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084-62392 | Mystic Force | A Step Beyond | CD | 1995 |
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084-62402 | Echo Park | Pretty Lies | CD | 1995 | Absolutely VILE, schmalzy pop garbage of interest to no-one except the musicians themselves. |
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Absolutely VILE, schmalzy pop garbage of interest to no-one except the musicians themselves. | |||||||||
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34434 | Mind Odyssey | Schizophenia | CD | 1995 | In a sense rather typical of the tiny branch of 90's Metal that wasn't a complete trendfollowing failure, i.e. sort of slick, melodic and occationally 'Power Metal'ish. In a word: Dull. |
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In a sense rather typical of the tiny branch of 90's Metal that wasn't a complete trendfollowing failure, i.e. sort of slick, melodic and occationally 'Power Metal'ish. In a word: Dull. | |||||||||
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34435 | Sadist | Tribe | CD | 1996 | The circus-organ keyboard-sound is hilarious! Stripping all the Metal from this one would make it quite interesting... |
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The circus-organ keyboard-sound is hilarious! Stripping all the Metal from this one would make it quite interesting... | |||||||||
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34499-428 | Riot | The Brethren Of The Long House | 2CD | 1996 | A special edition that includes the "Live In Japan 1992" bonus CD |
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A special edition that includes the "Live In Japan 1992" bonus CD | |||||||||
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34500-422 | Riot | The Brethren Of The Long House | CD | 1996 | Less Blackmore, more melodic, one of the weaker moments in their discography without being outright bad. |
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Less Blackmore, more melodic, one of the weaker moments in their discography without being outright bad. | |||||||||
| Singles & Promos |
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Singles & Promos | |||||||||||||||
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RSP S 001 | Psychotic Waltz | I Remember / Only A Dream | 7" | 1990 |
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RSP S 002 | Gypsy Kyss | Colors Can Stain | 7" | 1991 |
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RSP S 003 | Gypsy Kyss | Somewhere With Somebody Else | 7" | 1991 |
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IRS 930700 | Gypsy Kyss | Last One In The World | Pic-12"/ CDS | 1992 |
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(none) | Metal Church | Gods Of Second Chance | CDS | 1993 | promo |
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promo | |||||||||
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050-62303 | Jag Panzer | Jeffrey - Behind The Gate | CDS | 1994 |
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PRO 2/96 | Various | Are You Ready? | CD | 1996 | split-promo featuring: Riot, Mind Odyssey and Sadist. |
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split-promo featuring: Riot, Mind Odyssey and Sadist. |
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BTR LP 001 | Tyrranicide | God Save The Scene | LP/CD | 1990 | Generic crossoverthrash that seems to have been fanzine darlings back in the day. Me I can't for the life of me understand what would make them stick out from the very hard competition of the time... Licensed from Whirling Derwish Records. |
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Generic crossoverthrash that seems to have been fanzine darlings back in the day. Me I can't for the life of me understand what would make them stick out from the very hard competition of the time... Licensed from Whirling Derwish Records. |
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BTR LP 002 | Mystrez | The Indictment | LP/CD | 1990 | Competent technical Thrash, but even without the strange, annoying vocals I doubt I'd ever give this a 2nd listen since EVERY BLOODY SONG SOUND THE SAME. |
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Competent technical Thrash, but even without the strange, annoying vocals I doubt I'd ever give this a 2nd listen since EVERY BLOODY SONG SOUND THE SAME. | |||||||||
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IRS 942226 | Dead Head | The Feast Begins At Dawn | LP/CD | 1991 | Well, I guess a poor man's SADUS is prefered to a poor man's MYSTREZ.. No, let's be nice. This is actually quite good deathrash and more than a little underapreciated. A self-titled promo-tape of this album was produced the year before and credited to mother label Rising Sun, bearing a different cat# (IRS 942224). |
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Well, I guess a poor man's SADUS is prefered to a poor man's MYSTREZ.. No, let's be nice. This is actually quite good deathrash and more than a little underapreciated. A self-titled promo-tape of this album was produced the year before and credited to mother label Rising Sun, bearing a different cat# (IRS 942224). |
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IRS 972.233 | Dead Head | Dream Deciever | CD | 1993 | More aggro-death'y, but I like the Repulsion-like guitarsound that's hiding somewhere far below the 'phat' production. |
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More aggro-death'y, but I like the Repulsion-like guitarsound that's hiding somewhere far below the 'phat' production. | |||||||||
Compiled by DaN Edman.
