Past Blasts: Sacrifice-Torment in Fire

I remember reading a magazine article about Slayer back in the 80's that basically said while Metallica was the more popular band Slayer was more influential.  Specifically mentioned as being influenced by Reign in Blood were Possessed, Onslaught, Legacy (they changed their name to Testament) and Sacrifice.  So, when I saw Sacrifice's debut, Torment in Fire in the bin at Record Theater, I bought it.

Recently I bought a new turntable.  I've been without one for about six years.  My old one broke when we moved and I never bothered to replace it.  Finally, after watching a bunch of "Vinyl Community" videos on Youtube, I felt the need to explore the resurgence of LP's and buy a turntable.  Torment in Fire is one of my old albums that I've listened to for the first time in over two decades.  Did it stand the test of time?  Not really.

That's probably a little unfair to say though.  Standing the test of time would mean an album that I thought was great 25 years ago but now doesn't seem so hot.  I don't think I ever thought Torment in Fire was "great."  In fact, it's been so long that I can't really remember how I felt about it back when it was new.

Now?  It's a second-tier thrash record from the mid-80's.  It's not bad, but it's not great either.  There are a few killer riffs on it ("Infernal Visions" and "Burned at the Stake" rock) but overall the album sounds "samey," as in it's hard to tell one song from another.  I think a big reason for that is the bad production.  But like I said, this is very much a second-tier thrash record from the mid-80's.

In the end, part of me feels "cool" for owning this (on vinyl!) and part of me wonders why I bought it in the first place.

Review: Blood Ceremony-Blood Ceremony

It's been a long time since I have so instantly fell in love with a band as I have with Blood Ceremony.  Their self-titled debut ranks right up there with Master of Puppets, Powerslave, Reign in Blood, and Sons of Northern Darkness as an album that sounded great to me from the first listen.  Usually I have to listen to something a few times to "get into it."  It took more than a year of listening to Opeth before I realized how great they are.  But I have loved Blood Ceremony from the very first organ and cymbal rolling intro.  It's Black Sabbath meets Jethro Tull meets The Satanic Bible, and it's awesome.

Blood Ceremony isn't doing anything new here, but they are doing what they are doing better than anyone or anything that I've heard lately.  And that's saying something since there are so many bands now in this doom metal/70's Sabbath genre.  Granted, there's the aforementioned Jethro Tull-like flute playing, but I don't know if combining something else from the 70's in this style of music can be considered innovative.

But to hell with innovation and saying anything negative about this record.  When it comes to music the two most important things are the riffs and the attitude behind them.  By attitude I mean the degree to which the band believes in what it's doing.  Blood Ceremony has both in spades.  Very highly recommended.

***** out of 5.