Deathrow – Raging Steel

Deathrow – “Raging Steel” LP – (Noise International 8198)- 1987

Is it not my imagination but is it getting harder to find the German imports with all the U.S. vinyl flooding the market?

Answering my own question,  to not keep you all in suspense;   the U.S. comes first in the U.S.   Just a fact.  Anyway I am partial to the aggressiveness present in German bands from the power-metal exponents of Running Wild, (Old)Gravedigger, Asgard, right through to the OTT death thrashing purveyors – Kreator/Sodom/Destruction/Necronomicon/Exumer/ And Deathrow!

The critics seemed apprehensive about giving Deathrow (Ex-Samhain) the heavy tag of “Death Metal act”, instead calling the band speed metal simply because of a ‘thin’ recording.

That alone is quite clever and shouldn’t be an aversion, either, to enjoying this disc.  However, knowing the high-standard set for OTT death metal by the groups aforementioned in this article;   Deathrow had to top their auspicious debut- “Riders Of Doom/Satan’s Gift”  & with “Raging Steel”, which is their 2nd effort,  the band have indeed surpassed it!

Upon the first listen you will notice how “Dragon’s Blood” stands out with it’s subtle melody in the chorus.  I will go as far to exclaim it as being un-f**kin-believable!

Better than anything off the great “Riders” debut is not only “Dragon’s Blood” but “Mortal Dread”, “Raging Steel”, and the furiously thrashing “Pledge To Die”.

Side 1’s closer, “The Thing Within” and side 2’s closer, “Beyond The Light” are strategically placed, with both songs showing off Deathrow’s way of expanding their music beyond the thrash realm.

Last December, 1986, Germany released the incredulous debut of Exumer- “Possessed By Fire”.  And now the Grermans have done it again, here in the final quarter of 1987 by releasing Destruction’s “Release From Agony” & Kreator’s “Terrible Certainty”.   I should also mention Tankard’s “Chemical Invasion”.

Deathrow is for those who want the most pounding opuses of Germanic Death destruction!

– Rich Castle

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