Deal With the Devil

Lizzy Borden, Lizzy Borden | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 10, 2000)
• Original Release Date: October 10, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Metal Blade
• ASIN: B00004YR5X
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #140,124 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Japanese edition of the reunited metal act's 2000 album. Includes a Japan only bonus track 'We'll Burn the Sky'. 12 tracks. Standard jewelcase. 2000 release. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still rocking, still shocking after all these years...., October 15, 2000

By 

Robert Beaudette (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Deal With the Devil (Audio CD)

Eight years after splitting up (11 since the last studio effort), LA shock rocker Lizzy Borden returns-- bigger, badder, and bolder than ever with the new full length, 'Deal With The Devil' (Metal Blade, 2000). For those unfamiliar, imagine the shock of vintage Alice Cooper, combined with the big arena flair of KISS, and the polished, 2-guitar stylings of Iron Maiden. As a singer and live performer, few are as gifted and charismatic. As a writer, Lizzy Borden continues to push the boundaries, forever seeking new ways to cement his reputation as one of metal's most underrated (if not diabolical) talents. From the early Maiden-inspired classics 'Give 'Em The Axe' and 'Love You To Pieces', to the glam-era 'Visual Lies', and 1989's ambitious concept album, 'Master Of Disguise', complete with string sections, horns, and larger-than-life production, the only thing predictable with Lizzy and Co. is that anything goes in rock n' roll. All this in mind, it should come as no surprise that the latest studio offering combines elements of every Lizzy Borden LP to date, with new, modern touches to bring the band into the next decade--even if they did skip the last one. A good move, considering they have a little catching up to do with fans that probably figured they were gone for good. 'Deal With The Devil' boasts Lizzy's most formidable studio lineup to date, consisting of 5 guitarists, 3 bass players, and a host of other talented guest musicians, as well as the return of guitarist Alex Nelson, of early LB fame. The LP springs to life with opening tracks 'There Will Be Blood Tonight' and 'Hell Is For Heroes', throwbacks to the up-tempo barnburners of early Lizzy. 'We Only Come Out At Night' is arguably the most 'new' sounding track of the bunch, with a slight industrial edge to complement what may well be the most crushing riff on the disc. (Interesting note-- this track was featured in the band's early 90's live set, but was never available on record, having been written in the short space between the last studio effort and their 1992 breakup.) Also featured is the curious but appropriate Alice Cooper cover 'Generation Landslide'. All told, nearly 50 minutes of 'typical' Lizzy Borden-- well performed, well produced, edgy and unpredictable, combining all the best elements of 70's and 80's arena rockers with the intensity and energy of a band that's had several years to contemplate what could have been. Newcomers beware!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "a sacrificial lamb in white", July 14, 2005

By 

mwreview "mwreview" (Northern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Deal With the Devil (Audio CD)

Deal with Devil (2000) was the first Lizzy Borden studio release in a little over a decade following their brilliant Master of Disguise (1989). When I first listened to this CD, I was disappointed. There were only a couple songs that stood out and the rest just didn't seem to have the same edge as previous Lizzy albums. While most Lizzy albums hooked me right away, this one took several listens to appreciate. Now I consider Deal with the Devil a very good album, not as accessible as Love You to Pieces or as sophisticated as Master of Disguise, but a very good album in its own right with its own accessibility and sophistication as well as the characteristic Lizzy sound.

"There Will Be Blood Tonight" was one of the tracks that I liked right away. Lizzy usually saved some of their best rockers to start their albums and that is certainly the case here. This may be the most accessible track on Deal. It is very energetic and catchy with an excellent chorus. "Hell is For Heroes" is another energetic rocker with a very memorable chorus. The title track I have mixed feelings about. It really rocks and it has a great beat, but it teeters on a more good time rock `n roll style that I do not like as much. It never strays completely from the heavy metal side though, which is good, but the lyrics really break down at the end (rhyming "devil" with "on the level" and "shovel" is silly but at least the track begins to fade out at that point). "Zanzibar" was the other track that grabbed me right away. It is the most interesting and innovative number on the CD. It has a Middle Eastern influence and a mysterious mood. The overall sound and vocals are intoxicating at times. There is a lot of depth to it but it is still very catchy. It would have fit on Master of Disguise very well. "Lovin' You is Murder" brings things down again with a very accessible, catchy rocker. It offers menacing guitar and vocals at the beginning and then Lizzy opens it up to his usual vocal style and a sing-along chorus. It is another one of my favorites on this album.

"We Only Come Out at Night" is a very menacing track. It has an industrial sound. "Generation Landslide" is a straight-forward rocker but a bit annoying with the "lada da tadie" or whatever they chant (sounds like a wicked Jimmy Durante). "The World Is Mine" has a menacing opening but the chanting at the chorus is a little much. "State of Pain" is a nice, accessible rocker. I like the vocals on this track, especially at "so here we are..." I find myself singing along to this one. Next they offer a cover of Blue Oyster Cult's "(This Ain't) the Summer of Love." When I first heard it I thought, this sounds familiar and then, right before the chorus, I figured out where I heard it before (on the only BOC album I have). While Lizzy does their usual stellar work on it, it seemed out-of-place then and it still does. They play it straight and do not add their own style too much, although they add more energy to the track. The last track, "Believe" begins with a pleasant guitar riff and I thought for a moment it was a cover of "(Don't Fear) The Reaper." It is a slower track but is very powerful with a lot of depth and picks up the tempo at the chorus. The beautiful guitar work reminds me of Metal Church back in the day.

This album took awhile to pull me in but, now that it has, it spends a lot of time in my CD player. There is much variety here, from Lizzy's many vocal styles to the overall moods of the tracks. I definitely recommend Deal with the Devil to any fan of Lizzy or power metal in general from the 1980s. Fans of Lizzy should not hesitate to pick this CD up. It combines more accessible tracks with the more orchestrated numbers to form a solid album for the new Millennium. I hope Lizzy can release another album or two before the decade is out.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I stand corrected!, July 23, 2004

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Deal With the Devil (Audio CD)

I hate being wrong about something, especially when it's about a metal band or artist. I have to admit I was wrong about Lizzy Borden. After hearing one of hist first albums and witnessing his performance in the film Decline of Western Civilization Part 2 - the Metal Years, I had written Lizzy off as a cheesy, non-serious act that wasn't worth my time. Listening to Deal with the Devil (and it's predecessor Master of Disguise) I realize that I totally misjudged Lizzy & co.

This is a solid, mature, better-than-average metal album that falls somewhere between traditional and power metal. Over and over again I was reminded of a cross between Armored Saint and Queensryche (the good Empire-era Queensryche too, not their later day crapola), mostly due to the versatile vocals of band leader Lizzy Borden. The songs are well-crafted and have plenty of great riffs.

I am definitely glad I gave this band another try, and would easily recommend Deal with the Devil to most metal fans, particularly those who enjoy Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Iced Earth, and similar bands.