Search - Sweet Savage :: Killing Time

Belfast '79 revisited!

07/11/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Sweet Savage must have been a hell of a band 22 years ago or so...a few NWOBHM singles and Friday Rock show appearances put them in a league with the first generation Def Leppards, Iron Maiden, AngelWitch, Saxon, Witchfynde etc. Guitarist Viv Campbell was obviously talented, as he and the band ripped through "Eye of the Storm", "Prospector of Greed", the title track and the like. SS never made it past the 7 inch single back in the day, but managed to create an almost legendary legacy to this day, with Metallica covering one of their tunes and Viv going on to star in Dio, Whitesnake and the current Leppard line up. Now it's a new millenium and Sweet Savage have apparently reformed after renewed interest following the Metallica cover. In Campbell's place is Simon McBride, who is at least 15 years younger than his band mates...and who plays a scorching six sting, not without a Michael Schenker / Jeff Kollman influence. McBride is definitely a player to watch out for, but his choice to join a bunch of 30 somethings to play 2O year old songs seems a bit strange...I would bet in a few years Sweet Savage will return to the history books, but Simon McBride will be a star.Anyway, the music. Having all of the classic Sweet Savage songs together on one disc is certainly a treat, and McBride's playing certainly doesn't take anything away from the original style. The production is mostly crap, but the guitar is mixed way up front and you certainly get the idea that the rest of the band are playing their hearts out, even if it sounds a bit muddy. However, the "new" stuff is pretty trad and tired. Even McBride's scorching sound can't save some of these retread Old - WOBHM tunes.Live I bet this is still a pretty good act, as they all play pretty hard and fast...power and purpose being the defining words here, rather than finesse and melody. I would definitely catch 'em and bet it would be a damn good show, and I hear there is a 2nd album out too, but given the new songs on this one I won't be running out to get it.So, NWOBHM freaks aside, "Killing Time" will most likely be remembered as the album that launched the career of Simon McBride, not as the resurrection of underground legend Sweet Savage. Not bad, but not anything to spend too much money on..."

Nwobhm classic

thomas f carter jr | hilton, new york United States | 05/16/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"sweet savage on of the classic bands to come out of the nwobhm.later made famous by metallica.great guitar driven metal by vivian campbell who later went on to stardom in dio and whitesnake this is a must have cd songs like killing time and eye of the storm rock this release."