Tracklist
| 1 | Thundersteel | |
| 2 | Fight Or Fall | |
| 3 | Sign Of The Crimson Storm | |
| 4 | Flight Of The Warrior | |
| 5 | On Wings Of Eagles | |
| 6 | Johnny's Back | |
| 7 | Bloodstreets | |
| 8 | Run For Your Life | |
| 9 | Buried Alive (Tell Tale Heart) |
Companies, etc.
- Manufactured By – CBS
- Distributed By – CBS
- Pressed By – DADC, Pitman
- Recorded At – Greene St. Recording
- Mixed At – Greene St. Recording
Credits
- Bass – Don Van Stavern
- Cover – Kevin Kall
- Drums – Bobby "The Zombie" Jarzombek*
- Engineer [Additional] – Nick Sansano
- Engineer [Assistant] – Chris Shaw, Matt Tritto
- Mastered By – Howie Weinberg
- Photography By – Mark "Wiseguy" Weiss*
- Producer – Steve Loeb
- Producer, Engineer, Mixed By – Rod Hui
- Producer, Guitar – Mark Reale
- Vocals – Tony Moore (9)
Notes
© 1988 CBS Records Inc.
℗ 1988 CBS Records, Inc.
Cat# ZK 44232 printed on spine and front side of disc
Cat# 44232 printed on inner insert, last page
℗ 1988 CBS Records, Inc.
Cat# ZK 44232 printed on spine and front side of disc
Cat# 44232 printed on inner insert, last page
Barcode and Other Identifiers
- Barcode: 07464442322
- Matrix / Runout: 1A EK44232 02
- Pressing Plant ID (Mould Area): CMU P 26
Other Versions (5 of 41)
View All| Title (Format) | Label | Cat# | Country | Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Recently Edited | Thundersteel (LP, Album, Stereo) | Epic | EPC 460976 1 | Europe | 1988 | ||
New Submission | ThunderSteel (LP, Album, Red Title Print) | CBS Associated Records, CBS Associated Records | BFZ 44232, Z 44232 | US | 1988 | ||
Recently Edited | Thundersteel (CD, Album) | Epic | EPC 460976 2 | Europe | 1988 | ||
New Submission | Thundersteel (Cassette, Album) | CBS, CBS | BZT 44232, ZT44232 | US | 1988 | ||
New Submission | ThunderSteel (LP, Album) | Epic | EPC 460976 1 | Spain | 1988 |
Recommendations
Reviews
The 1988 rebirth of Riot delivers one of their top albums
Released in 1988, THUNDERSTEEL was the sixth album by New York’s Riot and a rebirth of the band after breaking up following the mediocre 1983 release BORN IN AMERICA (don’t get me wrong, I love the title track and appreciate a few other cuts, but there was something overall pedestrian about that album, like they were having an identity crisis or something). Thankfully, guitarist/composer Mark Reale decided to forge ahead with a new cast, including over-the-top vocalist Tony Moore, who obviously studied at the Rob Halford school of metal vox. Yet Moor’s no imitation and certainly has his unique appeal.
While Riot’s first five albums would be considered traditional metal in the manner of 70’s Judas Priest, albeit with an American vibe, THUNDERSTEEL seriously upped the ante with elements of speed metal. I should add that, despite the band pic on the back cover, THUNDERSTEEL ain’t no glam album. This is decidedly established by the speedy title track that opens the album followed by the formidable and catchy “Fight or Fall,” which paves the way for the album’s masterpiece “Sign of the Crimson Storm.” It sounds like “Sign” addresses acid rain, a popular topic at the time.
Actually, practically the entire album is strong with several other notable cuts, like the infectious “Flight of the Warrior,” the driving “On Wings of Eagles,” the haunting “Blood Streets,” the hooky “Run for your Life” and the epic closer “Buried Alive (Tell Tale Heart).”
THUNDERSTEEL wasn’t just Riot’s best album up to that point – and one of their top three ever – it was very influential in the power metal genre, especially when it had a renaissance in the late ‘90s . Singer Moore did two other albums with Riot: The follow-up THE PRIVILEGE OF POWER (1990), which was almost on par with THUNDERSTEEL, and 2011’s IMMORTAL SOUL, which is very similar in tone and quality to THUNDERSTEEL, but even better with superior production.
GRADE: A/A-