Customer Reviews

Race Against Time

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If I close my eyes, I'm transported back in time and it's a really good feeling. This album rocks and has that aggressive, in your face attitude that few bands could pull off with any style. Check out Drive Like Hell and see if you don't...

This band had three releases, with this one being their major debut. Their Ep, Cry In the Night is amazing (think Ozzy's Bark At The Moon, where every song is as good as Bark at the Moon), if you can find it, buy it. This follow up is very strong, but more commercial sounding. The bands foundation is based on the guitarist Terry Dunn, who hails from the Randy Rhodes school (as oppossed to the Van Halen school). His riffs are very solid, landing in Ozzy/early Crue land. The solo's as mentioned, are very much Randy Rhodes styled, which is a very good thing. The second foundation is the singer, Tommy Lee Flood. His voice is similar to Vince Neil, but much better. His tone is a lot stronger and his range is greater, without resorting to a nasal falsetto, as Vince does. He also posses an amazing scream, which is where I assume the band gets their namesake. The prices for the CD is a bit high, but this is a great release if you can find it on a d/l.

These hard drivers were the talk of Kansas City back in 1989 with their Atlantic debut album Race Against Time. Wait, what's that? Kansas City? No, no, I must be mistaken; the only killer metal bands in the 80's were the ones from L.A. Not this time. Banshee packed all the flash of the Sunset Strip, yet combined the edge of an East Coast band. With every song on Race Against Time a stand out, this album was, like many other fateful rippers of the time, way overlooked.

Banshee had released their debut album, 'Cry In The Night' on Metal Blade records in 1988 with its sound drawing directly from the harder edged bands of the time like Metallica. With only a handful of songs on the debut, Banshee was picked up and polished up by Atlantic and shot out 11 songs of pure genius on Race Against Time. The first track (and only video) "Shoot Down the Night" is an undeniable anthem. From first listen, the song is in your head all day, that's saying something. Yet "Shoot" also gives you a bit of a false image of Banshee upon first listen. Judging by this song, you would assume Banshee to sound very much like an L.A. "pop-metal" band, much more polished than their debut. But the songs that follow could have easily been written for Savatage, but are pulled off wonderfully by Banshee.

The next song that sings PURE POWER ROCK is track six, "Precious Metal," a song that rivals "Shoot Down The Night" for the #1 pick of the album. From it's odd opening, to the scream of lead singer Tommy Lee Flood's killer vocal kick off of "DRAW!!," only a corpse could resist banging their head to this one.

As the album gets into it's closing numbers, the diversity of the band comes through. With the almost "rap-like" drum beats of Kent Burnham and thundering bass of Bill Westfall, songs like "Desire" and "Get It On The Run" show you the true talents of Banshee.

So many albums of this era went virtually un-noticed, which is a crime in itself, yet that is what makes them gold now. Terry Dunn was a Kansas City guitar virtuoso in 1988/89, yet track-by-track, his legend, as well as the rest of Banshee, lives on forever in the masterpiece "Race Against Time."

Their third album, 'Take 'em By Storm' is also a must have. You can keep up to date on the band on their site.

In the 80s I bought every metal album that came out. this is one of those albums that stood out and left me looking for it on cd[for the past 16 years]. This album is just like Vains "No Respect' it will leave you wondering why it wasnt a million seller. It also has an instrumental with one of the best titles ever come up with " circular flight of the one winged sparrow". Will some one please re-issue this album.

This is a great album...BANSHEE has their own unique sound that shreds most of the bands that came from that genre. Excellent band, if your a fan of Rock/Metal bands from late 80s early 90s then you should get this disc.

Banshee is an underrated 80's band that came out in the early 90's... That's when the 80's were at their best, if that makes sense. Shortly afterwards ... music came and ruined it all, so Banshee never had the chance to make it to the really big time.. Believe me, they should have.

This band had some talent,But sadly got lost in obscurity and this is the only cd I've heard from them.The song "All alone" is one that gets stuck in my head quite a bit,A good album to have if your a big Metal collector like me.

Ordered all 3 Banshee releases straight from the band ... got ripped!

All 3 of the 2008 Banshee albums on Snowblind records were CD-Rs - but being charged as real CDs! There was absolutely no mention that they were selling CD-Rs for around $15.00 total per disc.

CRY IN THE NIGHT (MINI LP) - The vinyl had plain insert ... lyrics and band photo on the back of the album. CD-R has lyrics in booklet, photo on back tray car. Chuck Hopkins released a limited number of CDs after the band's 2000 reunion show. > "Well, were these real CDs?"

RACE AGAINST TIME - Original CD tells you who the members are:

Tommy Lee Flood - Vocals
Terry Dunn - Guitars, Vocals
Bill Westfall - Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Kent Burnham - Drums

And also this quote was on back of CD booklet in the original:

"What the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve."
(Napoleon Hill)

The CD-R reissue does have an additional picture of the band on the back of the CD booklet.

... The original 1989 Atlantic Records CD pressing is a little bit louder, a little bit "warmer" ... not night and day or anything. The CD-R is not an improvement, nor is it "remastered" per se, meaning it does not sound better ... if it has been remastered most likely it was done from the 1989 Atlantic CD. If indeed the master tapes were used you'd think with higher bit technology it would sound warmer. Original sounds slightly better and is a real pressed CD.

TAKE 'EM BY STORM - Came out in 1993 on their own Snowblind Records label on Cassette and CD. It had little national distribution, but sold out quickly. > "Well, was that a real CD?"