Band:	Nasty Savage
Album:	Nasty Savage
Style:	US power metal, Thrash metal
Release date:	1985
Guest review by:	Cynic Metalhead

01. No Sympathy
02. Gladiator
03. Fear Beyond The Vision
04. Metal Knights
05. Garden Of Temptation
06. Asmodeus
07. Dungeon Of Pleasure
08. The Morgue
09. Instigator
10. Psychopath
11. End Of Time

During the zenith of thrash metal scene in the 80s, one band entered a fiercely competitive scene after emerging from Florida, Nasty Savage. Their self-titled debut album, Nasty Savage, was released in 1985; initially met with a lukewarm reception, it was overshadowed by other classic thrash releases of the 80s and 90s. Let me tell you what reputation this album truly deserves.

The debut album resides in some weird world where occult-based heavy metal and early thrash converge, with a dollop of this antiquated shock rock/horror shtick that could only exist in the early-to-mid-80s underground before the music 'matured' (Hallows Eve's Tales Of Terror, also from 1985, is similar in this regard). Right off the bat, the first two songs manifest a concoction of thrash, power, and heavy metal with low-speed intensity that still is full of energy, thereby sounding like Flotsam And Jetsam on lower tempos.

You then encounter one of the powerful ballad anthems in "Metal Knights", exuding cheesy lyrics. The verses and the main riff are sufficient to make it memorable, but the back-and-forth shreds on top are the definition of top-notch 80s heavy/power metal in the form of notes. "Dungeon Of Pleasure" is also magnificent; Ron's vocals might be the craziest and most over the top on that track out of all of them here. He might just be the Sean Killian of power/heavy metal, as his intentionally twisted, all-over-the-place delivery makes the music that much more captivating and unconventional, similar to how Sean Killian does the same to Vio-lence's music.

"Asmodeus" scored with profound leads and stoical heaviness, and its guitar solos hit the nail on the head. Better still, the guitar excursions enrich every song, because they fit flawlessly in the respective track while combining musicality and gruffness. Not least because of the perfect embedding of the solos, the songs have a remarkably good flow. Nevertheless, the instrumental parts are also really excellent. Either they are based on strong riffs, or surprise with suddenly emerging harmonies that generate unexpected melody.

The production looks so absolutely phenomenal that it might be the best-produced album of the 80s. The guitars are muscular, enriching the brilliantly written riffs and melodies; beyond that, the drums come across as the most dominant element in the mix from the perspective of percussion, but the tonality of the drums is very reserved and moderated. The bass is prevalently viable, and you constantly hear those clever and adventurous bass lines that slightly deviate from the drums and guitars, as at the start of the "Dungeon Of Pleasure".

While the year was graced with Exodus's Bonded By Blood, Slayer's Hell Awaits, Helloween's Walls Of Jericho, Accept's Metal Heart, Anthrax's Spreading The Disease and more, 1985 was the best year for Nasty Savage as well. Despite being overshadowed by these heavyweights, Nasty Savage's album continues to resonate worldwide. Its distinctive aura has inspired countless bands, who still proudly cite Nasty Savage as a major influence.