Customer Reviews

Fighting for the Earth

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I know you wouldn't believe my words. I know you metal-heads that are so passionate about your (our) music think to know every great album in the genre. But I think you don't know this one, you don't know it and you don't know how big it is. It's almost impossible and believe it or not this is one of the most amazing metal album of all times! The prove that this album is quite unknown is that no one has ever reviewed it here on Amazon before me (and we are in 2010). I was a Kid when this album came out (1985, 25 years ago gosh!) way before I discovered Jazz I was a metal kid (and still I am in the deep of my heart). I remember that I bought it in the metal shop that we had in our town (way before the Internet!!!). I was intrigued by the curios costumes the guys of the band were dressed with. They had a sort of Star Trek suits (believe it or not in those years was not that strange!! ;) ) but yes, it was a little bit unusual even for the times. The band was composed by a strange crew. Parramore McCarty (phenomenal singer in the genre, in the following years he recorded another masterpiece with Steve Stevens, Atomic Playboys), Joe Floyd (guitar, responsible for most of the writings, thank you for the unforgettable riffs Joe!), Rick Bennett (bass and keys), a drummer that I can't remember the name (Jimmy Volpe??) but that if my memory is correct in the following years changed sex (!!!), and a Japanese looking guitarist (was american I believe) Tommy Asakawa which used one of the first Jackson Randy Rhoads model (that Ratt elevated to fame more than Randy in following years). A very unusual crew at the time visually. They really seemed a Star Trek unit. Well that was enough for me, a band looking like astronauts, OK GREAT (!!!)! I was 16 and already has been a Kiss fan for years so I decided to buy the album on the spot. I was lucky because I NEVER found that album elsewhere again (until I did buy the cd version many years later). Well I took the album home and put the stylus on the record ... the first seconds of silence ... (vynil thrills!!) and then this marvel started. Guys. I was immediately BLOWN AWAY by this album! It was a revelation! An unbelievable series of killer riffs attacked me and I was, I mean, BLOWN AWAY!!!! I listened for this album for YEEEEEARS and then when the cd came out on Metal Blade (1991) I immediately did buy the album again and it's still a reference for me for what metal is concerned. Its riffs still are to me the most fantastic metal riffs ever written!!! It's a straight metal album in the Judas Priest vein. It's not trash, it's not glam, it's not death, it's metal, pure heavy metal with KILLER riffs that will stuck in your head forever and will never go away! Most amazing tunes are "Defenders of creation" (*****), "Fighting for the Earth" (*****), "Day of the evil" (*****) and "Ruler" (*****), all five stars tunes (to say the least) which ranks among the most devastating metal riffs of all time (they hit you like HAMMER SHOTS believe me!!) "Only the strong survive" is another very strong tune with a very beautiful "running bass intro". Very beautiful is the "ballad" "Cold fire" very soulful. In the end, believe me, this album is a masterpiece that define what Heavy Metal is. The guys did a fantastic job and I want to tribute the very beautiful guitar playing by Tommy Asakawa that inspired me for years. Buy it and ... PLAY LOUD!

This CD set the standard for powerful Heavy Metal back in the 80's. I remember sitting in my best friends car absolutly blowing his windows out while waiting for a Saxon concert to start. When we emerged from his Dodge Daytona nearly deaf everyone around us wanted to know who this super powered band was. The answer "WARRIOR". If you are a metal fan of any genre you will get tremendous enjoyment from this CD. The production is top notch, the vocals are powerful, and the music is excellent. This CD is a true classic that is as enjoyable today as it was back then. If you have never heard this CD you are truely missing out!!!

Warrior burst onto the scene in late 1984/early 1985 with this absolutely perfect metal album. Vocalist Perramore McCarty shines here, using his gruff but clear and powerful voice to hit those 80's metal high notes the same way Geoff Tate, Bruce Dickinson and Rob Halford did. Dual guitarists Joe Floyd (the musical leader of the band) and Tommy Asakawa were evenly matched in skill and worked out many clever arrangements, throwing in trade-offs and harmony parts galore. Able back up was supplied by drummer Liam Jason and bassist Rick Bennett. The sound and mix of this album are glossy and clear without over-production. The songwriting is the best the mid-80's had to offer in the metal field; sci-fi, apocalyptic manly-man lyrics delivered with enough sincerity that the whole thing works (as opposed to say, Manowar). There's not a duff track to be had, although I have never liked the way the last song ends. It leaves this listener wanting to hear more.

"Fighting for the Earth" is one of the great overlooked metal classics, more like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest than Def Leppard or Motley Crue. It is a mystery to me why, when this album was originally released on MCA, there were no videos on MTV and no radio singles. They did tour briefly as the opening act on Iron Maiden's "Powerslave" tour in 1985, but that's the last that was heard of Warrior until the musically unsuccessful reunion record over a decade later.

Los Angeles-based heavy metal band Warrior was one of the few bands in that scene who actually focused on playing powerful heavy metal instead of spandex and lipstick party rock (not that I don't love that stuff). Naturally this meant they were largely ignored by mainstream radio and MTV, but they were one of the better bands the early American metal scene had to offer.

Originally released in 1985, Fighting for the Earth was Warrior's debut album. Between Joe Floyd and Tommy Asakawa's explosive twin lead guitar work, Perry McCarty's powerful vocals and some truly memorable songwriting, Fighting for the Earth is just an awesome album from start to finish. You can hear the influence of the NWOBHM bands like Saxon and Iron Maiden, but there's an anthemic hard rock edge to songs like "Fighting for the Earth" and "Only the Strong Survive" that remind me a bit of WASP and Lizzy Borden. The hit the perfect balance between melody and power, and were accessible enough that they really should have had a much bigger following. It's a shame that never happened, but the band and this album continue to make a lasting impression to anyone who hears it, even all these years later.

Fighting for the Earth remains an absolute classic of the `80s heavy and power metal genres, and is pretty much a mandatory purchase for all `80s metal fans, especially those into bands like Fifth Angel, Armored Saint, Crimson Glory, Vicious Rumors, Leatherwolf and Warlord. Bottom line - if you love metal, buy this album!

Edition Notes: Fighting for the Earth was reissued (finally!) by Yesterrock in 2008. The reissue doesn't include any bonus material (it would have been awesome to see the 1983 demos added as bonus tracks), but the album has been remastered and sounds terrific. All I had up to this point was a burned copy, so I was thrilled to get an official reissue, but the quality is good enough that it may be worth upgrading even if you already own the original version.

I Bought This Album Back In `85 At Sound Warehouse, Remember They Used to Have The Heavy Metal Section. I Grabbed This Album Because The Name Sounded Good. Little Did I Know The Music Was Even Better. I Lost This Record Somewhere In Time. I Looked But Never found It Again. I Finally Found The MP3 Here On Amazon. I Listened To The Samples And Decided To Buy Because I Would Never Own The Album Again. If Anyone Knows Someone In Ada,Ok. That Has This Album, But They Dont Know Where It Came From, It Is Probably Mine. It Has My Name Written On It. But Thats Probaly Gone Too.

Oh Well I Can Still Enjoy The Incredibaly Great Music That Warrior Put On This Album.

I got this way back in high school and Love it. I have been looking for this for years because it is one of the best groups back in the 80's. Like most groups there first album is filled with great songs. there is not a single song that isnt great.

If you like the 80's metal bands than this will take you back to those days. I have listened to the other albums but none of them can stand up to this one.

Any album that begins with this line about "wielding the axe" is gotta be pretty darned good. Here the tunes "Mind over Matter", "Defenders of Creation", and "Fighting for the Earth" (against invading aliens, not a Greenpeace rant), rock with a WASP / Lizzy Borden vibrato. Also, the ugly guy drummer went on to Rhino Bucket and is now a girl. Great album.

No idea what the previous reviewer is talking about, but it was amusing in a disturbing way.

This is a great album. Sounds like AC/DC meets WASP. Mind Over Matter, Defenders of Creaion and the title track all rock. The singer is great at hitting the high notes. The dude who played drums on this album had an operation and is now a woman.

I need to say.ThiS is the epitome of..Love.For the craft,for production..Wisdom..Sermons..It's all here..Audio cassette versiOns too..Need to have this to learn how to play acoustic guitar and worship and (The owl dances in my hand..) LosiNg a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church love..Is this mystical??..The book about Indians?? Where's the Owl come from in the cd story?? (PUre genetic Wisdom..)Snow Owls..I bought an Owl placemat once in my soul..I used it when I stayed in seattle when I was six.Karen Carpenter's "On Top Of The World" was a big hit..Then the people came back from vaCation and I wanted that Owl placemat..I'll never forgive them..(My sisters evil..Said I shouldn't have it..)Snow Owl..that "Psm" soNg is (Brian DOuhit writes poetry and's a meanie..)well crafted..Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism Isaac rules..So does (Deena and Sarolta..)Draconis Blackthorne..Questions from Earth, Answers from Heaven: A Psychic Intuitive's Discussion of Life, Death, and What Awaits Us Beyond I love Char..I have never heard such powerful and emotive (gettin high on..Look out..Love..) vocals..