AVENGER (UK)
“KILLER ELITE”
(re issue)
Album Review by Piers Renfree

8/10

Avenger were formed in Newcastle, England, in 1982 following the demise of the band Blitzkrieg. They played regularly in Western Europe and in 1985, the line-up of Ian Swift – vocals, Mick Moore – bass, Les Cheetham – guitar and Gary Young – drums, released “Killer Elite” on Neat Records.

Recently remastered by Bart Gabriel for Dissonance Productions, “Killer Elite” was Avenger’s second album (following their debut, “Blood Sports”) to be released in the 1980’s, before the band broke up, citing poor label support.

A guitar riff intro opens the album and the first song “Revenge Attack”, which has a fast driving pace and fades out at the end. Second song “Run For Your Life” has a fast paced intro, slows for the first verse, quick, mini solo and picks up for the second verse. Ian Swift delivers a bit of a scream in the chorus. Drums roll, there is a brief guitar solo and a driving riff powers us through “Brand Of Torture”, the third song which is a fast paced rocker.

The pace drops a bit to a slow, menacing pace with a bit of a Black Sabbath type of riff, for the fourth song, “Steel On Steel”. There’s a slow harmony before the solo. “(Fight For The) Right To Rock”, the fifth song is a mid-paced rocker. Ian Swift delivers some screams in the chorus, a-la Rob Halford. The song speeds up and fades out at the end. The pace picks up for “Hard Times”, the sixth song. It’s a fast paced rocker with an early Megadeth/Metallica style riff.

Drums and guitar introduce the Seventh Song “Under The Hammer”, which is another fast paced rocker. Again, this has an early Thrash/NWOBHM feel to it. “Face To The Ground” is another fast paced song. The riff is reminiscent of the Beastie Boys “You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Party” song. Again, this song is reminiscent of early Megadeth/Metallica in style. Ninth song “Dangerous Games” is even faster paced, it has a Metallica meets The Misfits style to it.

Gentle picking fades in “Yesterday’s Heroes”, the tenth song. It has a mid-paced passage and then goes back to picking for the verse, builds again to a mid-paced passage. “M.M. 85” (is an acronym for Metal May), starts with crashing drums and guitar, then a scream from Ian Swift. This is another fast paced song that is influenced by the Megadeth/Metallica style of thrash. A pulsing intro leads into the twelfth and final song of the original album, “Sawmill”. Again, this is another fast paced, Megadeth/Metallica style song. The pace slows down towards the end and the song fades out.

The first bonus track is a version of “Brand Of Torture”, recorded for a broadcast of the Hot ‘N’ Heavy radio show in 1985. The second and final bonus track is a demo of “Rough Ride” from the band’s debut “Blood Sports” album.

Overall this album is a marked improvement on the band’s debut, the songs seem more natural and effortless and no-one seems out of place at any point here. It’s a shame that the band couldn’t continue from here, as this is full of promise and the band rightly, could have been up there with Priest, Saxon, Sabbath, Motörhead and Maiden.

TRACKLIST

Revenge Attack
Run For Your Life
Brand Of Torture
Steel On Steel
(Fight For The) Right To Rock
Hard Times
Under The Hammer
Face To The Ground
Dangerous Games
Yesterday’s Heroes
M.M. 85
Sawmill
Brand Of Torture (Hot ‘n’ Heavy Show ’85)
Rough Ride (demo 1983)

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