Shock Tactics

Shock Tactics

Track Listings

1. Riding With the Angels

2. Earth Mother

3. Nice Girl

4. Blood Lust

5. Go to Hell

6. Bright Lights

7. Once Bitten

8. Grime Crime

9. Communion

Tracks:

RIDING WITH THE ANGELS
EARTH MOTHER
NICE GIRL
BLOOD LUST
GOT TO HELL
BRIGHT LIGHTS
ONCE BITTEN
GRIME CRIME
COMMUNION
LITTLE BIG MAN -
PYRAMID TO THE STARS -
LOSING MY GRIP -

Album Description

Reissue of 1981 album from UK metal act featuring Bruce Dickinson who later gained fame as the vocalist for Iron Maiden.1981 release. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews:

Samsons masterpiece.......2006-08-22

Where to begin? What an album of quality hard rock. Great chops musically + vocally, wrapped around some of the best tracks from the NWOBHM, no make that some of the best tracks ever to grace a stereo.

The album kicks off with the Russ Ballard penned Riding With the Angels, a hard rocker propelled by Dickinsons soaring vocals. It then cranks into Earthmother, a slow, more groove laden track with a chorus that almost falls over itself (that's a compliment) and after that is Nice Girl, a gritty sex oriented hard rocker with a great hook. Blood Lust is the fourth different type of tune in as many tracks which shows the creative high the band were on. It's lumberingly slow and quite 'metal' and the slow delivery actually increases it's menace - 'The rain will fall and end it all someday/But until then I'll sit on my mountain and prey.... on you'. Why don't more bands get it through their skulls that slow can be heavy? One must nod in appreciation at the skill of ringmaster Paul Samson on guitar throughout this release, his mark is all over it.

Now where was I? Oh yeah.. after Blood Lust we get Got To Hell, a dirty rocker with a done-me-wrong feel which kicks things back up a few gears and Bright Lights is in the same vein, decrying male hypocrisy while also revelling in it. Once Bitten isn't great, but some mortality is almost a welcome relief at this point. Grime Crime is a tasty rocker and Communion rounds out the regular tracks.

If you can get the version w/the three bonus tracks (Little Big Man, Pyramid to the Stars and Losing My Grip) then do so though only the first mentioned track matches the standard tunes.

Not only is this Samsons finest hour and one of the best UK hard rock/metal albums of any era, it's also certainly one of the top vocal performances by Bruce Dickinson, here credited as Bruce Bruce. With wattage like this I can easily forgive the band the silly Thunderstick gimmick. And the cool cover artwork also deserves a nod. This band deserved to be huge with this album.

heavy metal from the 80's.......2006-08-07

Some of the tactics on this album are truly shocking. Nah, it's just harmless heavy metal from the early 80's. You really can't go wrong with this album if that kind of music is your thing. It's certainly MY thing.

This is good!.......2003-02-10

Samson were a part of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, but never gained success like many other bands (Saxon, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, to name a few). On this album Bruce Dickinson (later to join Iron Maiden) is the singer, and that alone would certainly be of interest to some people.

"Shock tactics" is a good heavy metal album although it's not great. You get what you expect in songs like "Riding with the angels" and "Bright lights" since they follow the blue print for heavy metal at the time (1981). But Samson are clearly showing us that they are talented above average in cuts like "Earth mother", "Nice girl" and "Go the hell". They even include a blues inspired number: "Blood lust", but whether or not Dickinson can sing the blues is up to you to decide.

I give this album 3 strong stars, but some days when I play "Go to hell" real loud I tend to think it's worth at least 4 stars! If you're a dedicated fan of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal you shouldn't hesitate to buy this one.

SOLID ALBUM BUT NO BIG DEAL.......2001-09-26

SAMSON is only a little bit known for havin revealed MAIden front man, BRUCE DICKINSON. This is, by far, their best album ever. Band line-up: Bruce Dickinson - vocals; Paul Samson - guitar; Chris Aylmer - bass; Barry Purkis (THunderstick) - drums

MAREVELLOUS.......2001-08-29

The beginning of the eighties saw the hard rock / heavy metal bands in their creative appice. Britain alone produced a lot of great bands, while older bands still could deliver great rock. It was a time for Iron Maiden and MEtallica to surge, MERcyful Fate, Slayer, Saxon, Ozzy's amzing deburt BLIZZARD OF OZZ, Dio's HOLY DIVER, SAbbath's HEAVEN AND HELL. SAMSON was part of that age, but it was a band not destine do last long.. THis SHOCK TACTICS is something very good. Altough it has Dickinson on it, the merit of it all lay in the composition themselves. They are real rockers.

Average customer rating:

A masterpiece if youre into this sorta thing
Very disappointing

Shock Tactics
Samson
Manufacturer: Castle
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005AFOA
Release Date: 2001-09-04

Tracks:

Riding With The Angels
Earth Mother
Nice Girl
Blood Lust
Go To Hell
Bright Lights
Once Bitten
Gimme Crime
Communion
Little Big Man (Bonus Track)
Pyramid To The Stars (Bonus Track)
Losing My Grip (Bonus Track)

Album Description

Reissue of their best album from 1981(the last to feature Bruce Dickinson) with 3 added bonus tracks, 'Little Big Man', 'Pyramid To The Stars' & 'Losing My Grip'. 2001.

Customer Reviews:

A masterpiece if youre into this sorta thing.......2002-11-03

You dont get it?Well it is pretty avant garde material in places.The guitar is a little outta tune but the guitar is played with great skill.So if you like the guitar playing of AIC'S Jerry Cantrell and Soundgarden's Kim Thayil then chances are youre going to like Paul Samson.Blood Lust features great rhythm and guitar playing.Earth Mother and Riding With The Angels simply rock and have very good hooks.Communion is gorgeous in my opinion.This is art and if you dont like it well tough ... for you then. Got It?Get It?Good.

Very disappointing.......2002-06-12

I purchased this CD thinking I'd hear a raw, rough Bruce Dickinson. I got that. However, the musicianship and sound quality on this CD are just terrible. I love the sound of an SG, but it even sounds out of tune here. The juvenile chord progressions are weak. This is a very poor CD, except for the vocals. Bruce sounds good. Want a good taste of Bruce with a killer band? Buy Maiden's "The Number of the Beast." Excellent from the first song to the last. Pass on this one.