Over a week ago, we took a look at the Steve Vai incarnation of the band with their 2nd release, Disturbing The Peace. Gone is the ego of Yngwie, and in his stead is the weirdness & artistic genius of Vai. With this second version of Alcatrazz it seemed like things might finally go their way, but it sadly wasn’t meant to be. So let’s take a look at the final release of this unknown band, and see what people missed back then....and now.
Background
Despite the acquisition of Steve Vai, and not to mention the release of a great record, success continued to elude Alcatrazz. God Blessed Video was the first single & music video off of Disturbing The Peace, but MTV barely played it. Things only got more difficult when they had to cut a tour short (Funding issue), and they hardly were able to get out of their cult status & become a more popular band. Finally, the nail in Alcatrazz 2.0 would be Steve Vai leaving the group for the David Lee Roth Band. No bad blood this time: Steve Vai & Graham Bonnet got along just fine, and Vai continues to praise and complement his time in the band to this day (He even put Disturbing The Peace in a cd collection of his work). His replacement would come in the form of Danny Johnson, who played in Rod Stewart & Alice Cooper (Along with a couple other groups) beforehand. Once Danny got comfortable, Alcatrazz 3.0 gelled, and would get to work on their next musical venture. In September of 1986, they would release Dangerous Games to the public.
Dangerous Games is the only Alcatrazz album to never have been on the Billboard 200. Either it sold next to nothing when it first came out, or nobody cared to notice it. It’s a crying shame, as the record might very well be the most unique thing that the band put out. Sadly it would be the last album that they ever produced, as Graham Bonnet was disheartened by guitarists coming & going (Danny Johnson would eventually leave for the band Private Life) and dwindling album sales. Ultimately, Alcatrazz would break up and go their separate ways in 1987.
Basic Description
Very Heavy & Very Japanese.
When I said that the first 2 albums weren’t quite metal & this one was in my overview, I confess that was only because I had listened to all of Alcatrazz’s albums once at the time. Upon listening to everything a few more times, I’ve changed my mind. That being said, Dangerous Games is still the heaviest album of the 3. Despite my issues with one musical element, the band seems to be going for something a bit more harder this time around, while at the same time keeping the Prog element that was present since 1983, but pushing more in a melodic direction as well. It sounds strange at first, but it somehow works when you sit down & listen to it.
The very Japanese vibe is odd....until you find out why: while Alcatrazz wasn’t massively popular over in the U.S., they were huge over in the land of the rising sun. Whether it was at the behest of the studio, or because the band wanted to, they gave the music on Dangerous Games a Japanese flavor. You could put this on any 80s anime soundtrack (Possibly even some 90s shows), and it would somehow fit. This aspect of the album is what has it circulating in many singing clubs & bars to this day, and I’m impressed by this.
Best Track
Blue Boar is just an odd song to me. Like I said in the overview on these guys, I don’t know why I like this track so much. It’s not as keyboard & bass heavy as just about every other song on Dangerous Games, but it’s just so cheesy it might as well be. Graham Bonnet is at the top of his game on this track, shifting between high & low and never slipping up in the process. It can’t be explained....you just have to listen to this!
Blue Boar
A second best song has to go to the ode to Japan that is Ohayo Tokyo. When I talked about it in the overview, I said that this was the dishonorable mention off of Dangerous Games. Upon listening to it a few more times, it’s not quite as heinous as I previously believed. It’s still one of the biggest weeaboo songs out there, but it’s obvious that Graham Bonnet & the rest of Alcatrazz are showing their love to one of their biggest fanbases in their career. If there was ever a song to end a Kung Fu movie in Glorious Nippon on, it’s this one.
Ohayo Tokyo
Though it doesn’t have to do with the music, another plus for Dangerous Games is it’s cover art. The music is already goofy enough as it is, but to have a panther in a penthouse room, with a zebra-printed couch on the right, red high heels on the floor, a window to the terrace open (With a gentle breeze moving the curtains), and a table with a Martini that’s about to fall over on the left.....you can’t get much more 80s than this!
(Odd Fact: The re-release of Dangerous Games came with a new but inferior album cover. Hence the difference between the original posted at the top, and the one you see in the links.)
Worst Track
Like I stated in my Alcatrazz overview, Only One Woman is the only song on the album that’s bad. Though their cover of It’s My Life by The Animals seems forced, at least it was still fun to listen to. This cover on the other hand seems like it was just done to fill up space on an otherwise great album. Graham is trying really hard to sound like his old self throughout the whole thing, and he just can’t. The instrumentation isn’t terrible, but they’re trying way too hard as well. I can only say to avoid it, but listen to it if you’re curious.
Only One Woman (Marbles Version)
Only One Woman (Alcatrazz Version)
Apart from that, Dangerous Games’s only fault is the heavy usage of keyboard/synthesizers & bass. There’s definitely standard guitars being played, and there’s definitely some drumming, but everything else seems somewhat artificial. Metalhead & egotistical jackass Razorfist called this album the single most 1980s thing every release, and I place this sentiment squarely on the keyboard & bass guitar. If you’re a fan of 80s music this isn’t necessarily a bad thing (Such as myself), but it covers so much of the music it can be theoretically tiring.
Other
If you’re curious about this album, then check out the link below:
Dangerous Games
Overall Impression & Rating
Dangerous Games is a release that’s better than the first album, yet falls behind the second. This should not have happened! This record should have been high on the Heavy Metal mountain, standing alongside some of the greats of it’s day. Instead, it ends up being the death throes of a band that was never truly known by the larger public. This doesn’t mean that the album is bad, as it might be the catchiest thing Alcatrazz ever made! The heaviness of the metal, coupled with the hints of Japanese-style music, and slathered with 80s keyboard & bass sauce, creates something really original. Definitely a release to seek out!
Dangerous Games gets an 8.5 out of 10.
So with that rating done, we put the finishing touches on Alcatrazz Month. Though they only existed for 3 years & cranked out only 3 albums, they are one of the biggest sleeper bands in Heavy Metal to have created music. If you have never listened to these guys, now is your chance to give them a try! December is not that far away, and with the end of 2018 come my annual lists. See you in a few days!
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Another Odd Fact: Dangerous Games is the shortest of Alcatrazz’s albums at 38 minutes & 48 seconds. The longest is Disturbing The Peace at 41 minutes & 40 seconds, while No Parole From Rock N Roll is the 2nd longest at 41 minutes & 20 seconds. Also, if you haven’t read the first 2 reviews of Alcatrazz Month, check out the links below.
No Parole From Rock N Roll (Review)
Disturbing The Peace (Review)
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