Customer Reviews

Condition Critical

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Condition Critical was Quiet Riot's follow-up to their multi million selling METAL HEALTH record. This record sold decent, about 1.5 million in the states, but not nearly as much as its precedor. I do feel, however, that this album is superior to METAL HEALTH. I still dont' have the CD, only the vinyl, but it is great. the first side is great. Sign of the Times, Party All Night, and Winners Take All are among the highlights. The second side has 2 great catchy songs: Red Alert and We were born to Rock. However, you can't forget the "hidden gem" on this record, which is the title track. If you are a fan of early 80s commercial metal, and you liked the songs on METAL HEALTH, pick this one up. You are in for a real treat!

I was playing some metal albums with a friend of mine one afternoon. We played some classic stuff: Zeppelin, Scorpions, Aerosmith, Judas Priest. Then I pulled out this record. My friend was laughing when I put it on. He shut up after it started playing. Quiet Riot has taken a bad rap for years. The truth is, they were great. This album is better then "Metal Health". It sounds like Quiet Riot had become a better band. They were a good unit. Kevin Dubrow could be an ..., but he does have a set of pipes. Frankie Banali and Rudy Sarzo are pretty good. Quiet Riot was a good party band, and holds up better then anything the late 80's produced. If you like Scorpions and Judas Priest, You will love Quiet Riot.

Quiet Riot's 4th album albeit uninspired and rushed is actually fairly decent 80's metal and it's ashame that it takes so much crap from critics. While basically nothing more then an almost direct copy of Metal Health, they even went so far as to include another Slade cover, but honestly let's face it, Quiet Riot were never that strong writing songs anyway, they had maybe 4 good songs on each album, and the rest is filler (yes even Metal Health and their RR era albums). However, it's still some great party rock with some pretty memorable tracks.

As many know, this was written and recorded fast to capitalize on the overnight success of their previous album. Despite being rushed, the production is actually alright and the album sounds quite good. While the cover of "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" is ok to listen to, it's overall pretty irritating and I could do without it on this album. The more competent well written songs on here would have to be the excellent title track, "Sign Of The Times", "Party All Night", and even though it's a ballad, "Winners Take All" comes off quite nicely. The band appears to be pretty top notch on these songs, and it makes it an enjoyable album. The remaining 6 tracks are more or less filler, with the exception of "Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet" despite having one of the worst titles I've ever heard in my life, and a stupid chorus is actually musically pretty well written with some nice riffs. "Scream And Shout" is also pretty upbeat and still slightly musically competent, but "Red Alert", "Bad Boy", and "(We Were) Born To Rock" are just there, they don't contain many memorable parts, and easily get boring, they have potential, but suffer from the rushing and lack of involvement from all band members. Essentially, this is the LAST good Quiet Riot album of the 80's, if your a fan of Metal Health I suggest getting it, but don't expect anything to knock you over.

Man this group is way before my time but all you people that can't dig really good metal are missing out. I first heard this stuff in my uncle's trans-am with the windows down and his girlfriend yelling at him: turn that down! And the more she yelled at him to turn it down the more he turned the volume nob to the right!

"Cum on feel the noize" is eaisly the greatest rock song ever wrote in history! Period.

This is like rock n roll- totally. Don't miss out and dig it at loud volume and make your life a party 365 day of the year!! Metal forever!

Well there's a maximum 1,000 word limmit on these reviews, so I'll just keep it short - THIS ALBUM ROCKS!!! Get it!

If you liked Quiet Riot's previous album, you will also like this. The album is slightly more commercial, just a hair, than "Metal Health" but the style and spirit are almost identical. 'Sign of the times' is a fine opening track, with a fine sing-along chorus and a nice opening drum barrage by Frankie Banali. "Red alert" has one of the better solos on the album. "Scream and shout" has one of Carlos Cavazo's most aggressive riffs ever, despite that lead singer Kevin DuBrow calls it one of Quiet Riot's worst tracks. The band does another Slade cover here with "Mama weer all crazee now." The title track is a hidden treasure and although it was never a single, it is one of the most popular album tracks and for years fans were bugging QR to play it at their concerts and eventually they let up and were playing it for awhile. "Condition critical", the song, isn't thinking man's rock but it is slow, methodical and best when played loud, it is similar to "The Ritual" from the 'Alive and Well' cd. One of the better tracks on the cd. "Stomp your hands, clap your feet" is a carefree rock song that has a little bit of boogie to it, the chorus sounds like something that would have been put out in the 50's. One rock song that you can dance to!

The only slower number on the disc is a song called "Winners take all" which was used for at least one high school graduation ceremony (it's true). One of the original songs from here that hit big on radio and video was "Party all night." "Bad boy" and "We were born to rock" finish off a fine rock album. It is strange that this didn't sell nearly on the level with "Metal Health" because they are pretty much interchangeable, aside from the fact that "MH" was heavier and "CC" (Condition Critical) was slightly more commercial.

All in all, a fine album. If you like the band, you will like this. If you liked "Metal Health" then you will like this. If you don't like the band, then you won't like this. If you think Quiet Riot is 'dumb Eighties rock music' and we are dumb for listening to it, then what does that make you for reading this review :) LOL

This was the album that got me into heavy metal.

I have yet to hear its equal in the area it was intended to fill...having fun and rocking out. No power-ballads. No posturing. Just fun.

This is one of the heaviest Metal albums ever done...it's showing its age now, the mixes weren't has bass-heavy as their newer stuff (or the rest of rock-n-roll)...but it's held up well.

Their live performance this summer was good too. This album rocks.

Quiet Riot's 84 release is a combination of metal and good times. standout tracks are "Sign Of The Times" a cover of Slade's "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", "Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet", and the title track. the burning question is, where are you guys?

Quite possibly one of their best albums, Condition Critical is a great album that preaches a party atmosphere and good times. As one of the reviewers here stated, there are songs on this album that are uplifting and make you wanna sing along and jump around like "Party All Night" and then songs that are darker. This is a great album to listen to while you drive, i'd suggest you get it!

To my understanding the band was rushed to get a follow up album for 'Metal Health' out quickly. 'Condition Critical' was the result. This is a solid effort from start to finish. 'Sign of the Times' kicks it off and delivers a shot across the bow to get your attention. I always thought of this as a great album to play at parties because the entire album fits the occasion. 'Winners Take All' is a good ballad and anthem, 'Mama We're All Crazee Now' is a great cover, 'Party All Night' is a metal classic, and I liked the one-two punch of 'Scream and Shout' and 'Red Alert' on the second side, or should I later on the DISC (I'm showing my age there). The rest of the songs fit in nicely and do not disappoint. I know 'Metal Health' is an awesome album, set the bar, and lead the metal charge back in the day, but I like 'Condition Critical' just a bit more...