Megaton
Returning With A Vengeance Independent Release
Back in the mists of time when this reviewer was just discovering this thing called Heavy Metal, a band called Megaton where plying their trade with the other NWOBHM bands, although I must admit I hadn’t heard of them before,
well least I didn’t remember them. They were up and coming in the genre and had quite a lot of success with 'Aluminium Lady' getting mentions in Kerrang and reaching number 8 in the Sounds metal chart.
This is the band’s first full length album and while it has been a long time in coming, this album is worth your hard earned. I admit it took me a while to get into at first, but you know what, it truly rocks and has a retro feel throughout, but then that’s no bad thing, personally I think I listen to too much screamo bands at the moment and forget the finer things in Metal / Rock and my metal roots of Praying Mantis, Tobruk, Mythria, Iron Maiden and Tank.
The album opens up with 'Don’t Fall Out' and rampages along like a confused bull in a takeaway!. It's very catchy and has you tapping your feet and repeating the chorus along with the backing singer. With lead singer Ross Toriak and ripping guitaring from Jeremy Nagle, this one stays in your head and I was talking about scream bands before, well at the end, Toriak does a fine scream!.
'Die Hard' rattles along, play and you will be impressed, again with the guitar mastery from Nagle, which is truly awesome. You get sirens and a punky feel from this song, as well as a feel and taste of the Eighties. 'Love is Hard to Find' is a great number and probably my favourite on here, then it’s a change in tempo with Toriak announcing 'Godspeed' and you go into a bit of a proggy feel, then the song speeds up and rocks along, then back to the proggy feel.
It is a strange track, but I actually really, really like it and it gets into your head with keyboards, guitars and heavy drumming from Michael Leasure, well you can’t go wrong if you are like me and like a bit of variance in your metal music.
'Aluminium Lady' NOW I recognise this tune and no wonder, it got shed loads of airplay.
It’s really great and the Megaton part of the track brings back memories in this old battered head of mine! I know this song! I was eleven when this song was out and about and ripping up the airways and I probably heard this track on the great Tommy Vance’s Friday rock show, then heard Tank and the rest is history! Totally great song where Toriak again stretches his larynx and man it rocks!
'Woman' is a ballad and a nice cosy song, with Deep Purplish keyboards from Shawn Bossick and again guitar mastery from Nagle. 'Third Rate Fantasy' is a funky tune. 'Black Spider Woman' is a meandering song and ambles along. Next 'Mae West' has thunder and pianos and is an excellent track. It is slow and meaningful, with a great guitar solo and nice lyrics, dedicated to ... you guessed it, Mae West.
'Wheelin' and Dealin' another sing-a-long tune leading into 'Everyone Wants to be a Star' and to be fair Megaton should have been, (stars that is) maybe it isn’t too late?
The final song has a guest appearance from Mike Tucker of the Sweet and is a bluesy get your head and body shaking number. So if you like your music with a retro feel, but still up to date, then get your hands on Megaton 'Returning With A Vengeance'.
Review by: Seb Di Gatto
Tracklisting:
1. Don't Fall Out
2. Die Hard
3. Love Is Hard To Find
4. Aluminium Lady
5. Woman
6. Third Rate Fantasy
7. Black Spider Woman
8. Mae West
9. Wheelin' And Dealin'
10. Everybody Wants To Be A Star
11. Tallahasse Lassie
