Album Review (Obscurus Metalus): Razor's Armed & Dangerous EP

Well everybody, this is it. The final review of the Summer of Thrash. In June we looked at some progenitors of the genre, last month we took a look at the beginning of Sodom’s 90s run, and this month is devoted to some Thrash bands that maybe aren’t quite as high on the totem poll as other bands. Last week I looked at the unofficial 5th member of the big 4, and this week I decided to go for something a little more out there. And thus I went to that strange tome known as Obscurus Metalus, and flipped the page towards the Canadian section, and immediately one word came to light.....Razor.

That’s right fellow Otaku & Metalheads, today we’re looking at a release from Canadian thrash legends Razor! Devin’s not the only metal maestro to have come from the great white north, and I thought it was about time to look at another metallic offering from Canada. While not quite as well known as other Thrash Metal bands (U.S. or otherwise), Razor had their own particular take on the iconic subgenre, and left their own impression on the metal landscape. So put on your spiked leather bracers, get on your hog, and prepare for Armed & Dangerous. Let the review begin!

Background
The birth of Razor is a simple one: In the early 80s, a small & singerless band had formed out of their love of Motorhead & Proto-Thrash bands. The band in question was composed of guitarist Dave Carlo, bass player Mike Campagnolo, and drummer Mike Embro. Despite the goofy coincidence of having 3 band members with a last name ending with the letter “O”, the trio were talented & kick-ass.....yet they didn’t have a singer that could manipulate their fury. Enter the youngest band member, Stace McLaren. Later nicknamed “Sheepdog” by the rest of the band, the lineup (At least for the time) finally formed.
                               
Basic Description
Fast, Furious, and Fierce!

Despite having just 7 songs on this EP, you can tell that Razor isn’t a band to screw with. Dave Carlo & Mike Campagnolo shred on the guitar & bass like corrupt politicians shred incriminating papers, Mike Embro pounds on the drums like a boxer in a fight, and Stace McLaren’s vocal work is like a flight of hawks coming for a target. It’s shocking that, despite the age of this EP, it’s amazing at how surprisingly good the production is on Armed & Dangerous. It was also incredibly cheap to make, costing just $5.98 in Canadian (Please correct me if I’m wrong) money. A humble beginning.......for a damn good band!

Best Track
I’ve got 3 tracks that I consider to be the best on Armed & Dangerous, not to mention my favorites. I’ll get into more detail below, but for now I’ll talk about just these 3 songs: The title track, Take This Torch, and the concluding track Fast And Loud. This trio of tunes are like a sledgehammer, mace, and warhammer: they look sleek, but come at you with the force of a herd of angry bulls. The singing sounds like a chorus of thrash banshees, the guitar work is raw & intense, and the drumming comes across like a volley of gunshots. Be sure to put on some body-armor before you even consider listening to these songs!

Armed & Dangerous

Take This Torch

Fast And Loud

Worst Track
While I wouldn’t say there aren’t any bad tracks on here, the biggest detriment is the length. This album barely passes the 22 minute mark (22 minutes & 3 seconds, to be exact), and as I alluded to above, only 3 songs have substantial playing times (The title track is 5 minutes & 12 seconds, Fast & Loud is 3 minutes & 52 seconds, and Take This Torch is 3 minutes & 12 seconds). The 4 other tracks that are on this EP all stay within a measly 2 minute range. Because of the strange playing times, Armed & Dangerous will wizz by so fast, you’ll have to play it a bunch of times just to even have it stick in your head for a day!

Other
If you’re curious about this album/ep, check out the link below.

Armed & Dangerous

Also, I feel I should briefly take about it’s release on vinyl. Armed & Dangerous was limited to only 1,200 records. That’s right, just 1,200 vinyl records for Armed & Dangerous were ever printed, thus making the EP incredibly rare. There have be re-releases of the EP on vinyl (Along with CD editions), but if you’re a collector of records, then finding one of the original copies will be your thing!

Overall Impression & Rating
Armed & Dangerous, while a flash in the pain, is a sharpened flash in the pan. Again, it’s surprising at how well this EP was made, and despite it’s brief stay, it shows off how good the band surprisingly was (And still is today, despite the mostly different lineup). Armed & Dangerous might be a more obscure release in the world of Thrash Metal, but if by some chance it happens to come your way, keep it in your collection!

Armed & Dangerous gets a 7.5 out of 10.

So this concludes my reviews for the Summer of Thrash, showing off the untold treasure that is Razor as a appropriate conclusions. I had a lot of fun getting these reviews up, not to mention listening to the albums in question. Speaking of albums, I’ve got 1 last thing for this celebration, as I’ll be showing off some Thrash Metal albums you should go out & buy, or at the very least listen to. See you soon!



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If you’d like to know more about Razor, check out the link below for The Rageaholic’s look at the band:

Metal Mythos (Razor)