Customer Reviews

Metal Massacre 1

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great CD. Although being different from the original US release, it still is really good. There are only nine songs on the album, but there are very few which aren't really good, if you catch my drift. "Chains Around Heaven", "Octave", "Dead Of The Night" and "Hit The Lights" are my ultimate fave's on the disc although the Malice songs aren't bad either. However, since alot of these bands (if not all) were unsigned artists at the time, the sound quality is basically rather demo-ish. This actually adds to the coolness of the disc, though. Each artist is pretty different from each other, but this CD, unlike some other compilations, sounds pretty much like any other good heavy album when you play it as a whole from start to finish. I'd recommend this to anyone just as a listen. It probably serves as a good cornerstone for early eighties US metal. However, listen to some of the tracks before you buy just so you know what you're getting into. I would personally really love to get hold of a copy of the original US copy of this record with the first version of "Hit The Lights" on it, since the version on this CD is a later version with better quality, so if anyone out there knows where I can get an original or a copy, then please mail me and make my day! The reason I got this in the first place was because of the Metallica demo of "Hit The Lights". It shows that Metallica is the most powerful band on this record by far. I also think that's what the rumour was when this album first came out in 1981!

Just to clear up some of the wild info here about the Metallica "Hit the Lights" track - James did sing on this song, but the vocal delivery is almost a mimic of Sean Harris' style, as the primary influence of the band was Diamond Head. Getting the spot on the record was the catalyst for Metallica, as Lars was able to bait James into starting a band with him with the slot Lars's friend Brian Slagel (Metal Blade mastermind) had saved.

Lead guitars are not performed by Dave Mustaine, but instead by session player Lloyd Grant.

this is a good collection of early 80's speed metal. The track of interest is, of course, metallica's, as they're the only band in the album to achieve any real commercial success. Their track, an earlier mix than appeared on their debut album kill em all, did feature dave mustaine on lead guitar (its also rumoured that he actually was on some songs off kill em) , but not vocals (as some reviewers incorrectly stated). Though this collection is rough around the edges, it provides a sample of metallica, and the entire genre of thrash metal, in its infancy.

The only reason I own this is for the early recording of the Metallica track 'Hit The Lights' which personally I find alot more enjoyable than the raw, dusty album version with a prepubescent Hetfield screeching down the microphone. Here we hear him noticably younger and hadnt yet adapted his raw, growling vocals that he was once heralded for. Quite an enjoyable listen indeed.

Just to clarify (for the confused) this IS the re-released version of Metal Masscre Vol. 1 and DOES feature Dave Mustaine (on lead guitar only).

The 'first version' of the track was recorded and pressed in 1981 and originally featured session guitarist (Lloyd Grant) however this has since then been discontinued and would be VERY hard to obtain.

The 'second version' was recorded during a session in 1982 along with 3 other tracks (Mechanix, Jump In The Fire, Motorbreath - general interest) This was the version that was then pressed onto Metal Masscre Vol. 1 and is also the version you see here. Still very collectable, still very enjoyable. Glad I could clear that up.

While I totally understand that the first Metal Massacre compilation is most noteworthy for featuring the earliest recorded work by Metallica, I'm a bit surprised that no one has mentioned the album's role in launching another heavy metal institution - namely Metal Blade Records.

Put together on a shoestring budget, Metal Massacre I was for the emerging West Coast metal scene what Metal for Muthas, Vol. 1 was for the NWOBHM scene, an early showcase of a handful of dedicated and talented bands that were changing the musical landscape. Now you can debate the lasting impact of bands like Pandemonium and Avatar, but the West Coast scene had a huge impact on the overall heavy metal sound, and bands like Malice, Black `n Blue, and of course Metallica were at the forefront of that scene. Metallica, who contributed a raw early version of Hit the Lights to Metal Massacre I, was obviously the major success story of this album, but Black `n Blue, Cirith Ungol, Bitch, and Malice all had respectable careers spanning multiple albums.

More than just the launching pad of Metallica's legendary career, Metal Massacre I was an early snapshot of a chaotic and energetic time in the history of heavy metal. The success of this compilation led to the release of further Metal Massacre albums and the eventual launch of Metal Blade Records, which is why it deserves to be considered a metal milestone, not just a footnote in the Metallica story.

this is the first time i had ever heard Metallica and i must say i was impressed. if you aren't a "listened to Metallica from the begiining" person well this is your chance to hear them in the begining

this has many good songs by various artists, it is worth buying if you are looking for alternative groups, but it only has one metallica song on it, which is very good by my standards.

This CD is a part of Metallica history, basically Lars had a spot on this CD before he had a band, James and Lars put together Hit the Lights, and had L. Grant throw some leads on it, (which were later updated by Mustaine) and placed this early version of Hit the Lights on the compilation. It's a great CD to have if you are a Metallica fan. James was basically copying the singing style of a band they were extremely influenced by and that was Diamond Head, so the singing style is different from what he later adapted too, as the singing style of DH was way beyond his reach. Cool piece of metal history and the other songs on the CD are decent, but not awe-inspiring.

Metal Massacre, Vol. 1This compilation is a heavy metal classic! I bought the LP version when it first came out in the early 80's. Played it so often that I wore out listening to it! Had regrets years later after I sold it cause I needed the cash. Bought this CD and can once again enjoy a timeless favorite.

This version is the second version of hit the lights(2nd pressing)& does feature Dave Mustaine on lead guitar & by the way I heard the first version of hit the lights leads feature Grant & Mustaine. Mustaine plays most of the the leads & Grant plays the middle lead anyways I would love to hear more original Metallica because its apart of there history & I dig it all