Neudi Presents: Damn, This Stuff Is Heavy ( Vol. 1) – Hardrock, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM – everything traditional from the last 40 years (compilation album)

DAMN, THIS STUFF IS HEAVY (Vol. 1) captures the recent underground- and traditional metal scene in a very special way. It features heavy music from the last 40 years which fits well to how the scene has developed in the last years. You can find a Uriah Heep patch next to Slayer patch and this is not weird or strange at all. This is how the scene is today. Here is compiler Neudi in his own words:

SATAN – Legions Hellbound
Their latest CD was my album of the year 2018. Nothing else to add here.

HAWKWIND – Needle Gun
Instead of a typical space-rocker I have chosen a straight song that is not really typical for Hawkwind. I always loved that song and once you heard it, it gets stucked in your head. Hawkwind goes ZZ Top or Status Quo!

SAVAGE GRACE – Sins Of The Damned (Remix 2018/2019)
We all know that the original album has a shitty sound and the first remix was not cool too because of the drums, that were replaced by samples or something. I have the 24 tracks from the original tapes here since some years but a remix of the full album is a real challenge as they did EVERYTHING wrong back then. So far “Sins Of The Damned” is the only song of that remix-project that I would call “final version” and I am happy that it ended up as a teaser for a possible reissue here.

LETHAL – Swim Or Drown
Everybody knows their album “Programmed” (and if not, you need to change that) but the EP “Your Favorite God” kinda got lost. “Swim Or Drown” is my favorite song of the band and a feast for every fan of melodic US-Metal. Beside all that I call these guys friends – some of the nicest people you can meet!

STRIFE – Feel So Good
The whole story can be read in the liner-notes (booklet), but I got that second album from Strife (“Back To Thunder”, 1978) because it is on Gull Records. Yes, the label that has released my favorite Judas Priest stuff. When I put it on the turntable I was blown away by that “proto-metal” and I am addicted since then. I am happy that Shadow Kingdom did some great reissues of both Strife albums, which brought me in contact with John Reid. And….”Feel So Good” is a goddamn hit!

LIVING DEATH – Worlds Neuroses
I wouldn´t say that I am pissed, but it makes me angry that Living Death to some metalheads only means the first 3,5 albums. Yes, I love them too and they are “cult”, no doubt, but the LP “Worlds Neuroses” is something really special and high quality metal between Speed/Thrash and traditonal Heavy Metal. The songs are simply great and more memorable than all the stuff before. I have chosen the furious titletrack that also contains some hints of Voivod. Really great!

SANHEDRIN – Riding On The Dawn (Demo 2015)
Sanhedrin…everbody, including myself, loves their two albums. They are one of the few new traditional bands who have their own style and aesthetics. The demo from 2015 is or was only available as a tape (and online), so this was a perfect choice as a special for this compilation. Yes, the sound is great, even it is a demo!!

SUDDEN DEATH – Backstage Queen
Only true German Metal collectors know or remember Sudden Death from Berlin and their album “All Or Nothing”. The opposite should be the case in my opinion because it is one of the finest moments of true German Heavy Metal. My first choice would have been “Dust In The Wind”, but that track is too long for such a project (and I didn´t want to edit out the cool part in the middle of the song). So I have chosen the fast double-bass-attack “Backstage Queen” (no Scorpions cover-version). Source: One of the rare original CDs.

BLEAK HOUSE – Chase The Wind
NWOBHM as its finest – distributed on only two 7″ EPs (rare and expensive these days). “Rainbow Warrior” became a kind of underground hit (no, I won´t write why… ) but I think the fast “Chase The Wind” with that catchy melody line is as good, if not better.

MANILLA ROAD – Divine Victim (Live 2018)
One of our last shows in Athens, Greece, at Up The Hammers Festival was recorded professionally. Maybe one day we will make something out of it. But for now you can find “Divine Victim” on this compilation.

ROXXCALIBUR – See Them Running
Originally by Wolf on their rare 7″ single, we did that song for our second album “Lords of the NWOBHM” which was produced by Chris Tsangarides. For some reasons it ended up as the Japanese bonus track, so not many have ever heard our version of that song.

OUTSIDE – Action (7″ Version)
From where I lived as a kid, Outside were local band that I saw live several times. They were also playing 45 minutes live in my old TV-Show “Heavy Metal Battle” (same issue as Kreator…what a mix *lol*). Even I enjoy their two albums on Rockport Records, my favorite is their self-produced 7″ Single “Action / Heavy Metal”. “Action” might have been their fastest and heaviest song but unfortunately the remastering on the reissue (as bonus tracks) was not very good. It was about time to fix that….

OXYM – Music Power
NWOBHM again and this one of those “missing link-songs” between 70s Hardrock and what became Heavy Metal. I love that song and how it is arranged, you don´t hear that anymore these days. For sure one of my top 10 NWOBHM-songs of all time! The source was my 7″ single which is just in a “ok shape”. You can hear that the source was a vinyl here, but to be honest, I don´t care as the overall sound of my remaster is really good.

TRANCE – Storm & Thunder
This song would have been on this compilation even if I wouldn´t play drums in this German Metal legend. It is the last song of their 1983 album “Power Infusion” which was released before Metallica´s “Kill Em All”. But what you can hear is 100% speed metal. Insane!

SILVER MACHINE – Feed The Rats
I think many of you know how I love this band from France as I wrote about them many times. To chose a song was a challenge and in the end I decided on one of their straightest tracks from the first CD. These guys are unique and simply great, maybe not that well-known worldwide because of their (cool) DIY-attitude.

MEKONG DELTA – True Lies
A song from “The Music Of Erich Zann”…do I need to say more? One of the best metal albums from Germany ever and along with Watchtower and early Sieges Even the beginning of Prog Metal.

TARGET – The Coming Of Chaos
These guys from Belgium are more known for their debut album on Aaarrg Records which was more straight and loved by speed/thrash-fans. I prefer the second LP “Master Project Genesis” which indeed is a masterpiece of early Prog-Thrash-Metal. This is the opener of that album and I am proud to have it on that compilation.

ROBESPIERRE – Punish Oppressors
Not many NWOBHM bands who did a reunion came with an album that really keeps the old spirit alive 100%. Sparta is one of the few, but recently also Robespierre. It sounds like recorded and written in the heydays of the NWOBHM. No modern influences, no horrible studio tricks, no “mixing the old with the new” – perfect!

SUDDEN DARKNESS – Deathless
Taken from the unreleased GAMA Records album “Fear Of Reality” (1988) which only existed as 12 testpressings for many years. This was my first proper band and the first album I have ever recorded – pure German Thrash Metal. It was not planned to put a song of my ex-band on this compilation, but when I was at 76 minutes and there was some little space left, I just did it. And I think it fits well!

TEMPEST – Warmaker
Not a song from a vinyl, but from a demo cassette by this cultband from Germany. My favorite “Control The World” would have been too long for a single CD, so I went for “Warmaker” as it is doomy and hypnotic. It is perfect last song due to its style and uniqueness. The sound is remastered and even better than some vinyl-songs of the band.

The CD comes with a thick booklet which contains liner-notes and rare photos. Many of the titles are unreleased in that form.

Tracklist:

1 – Intro*
2 – SATAN – Legions Unbound
3 – HAKWIND – Needle Gun
4 – SAVAGE GRACE – Sins Of The Damned (Remix 2018)*
5 – LETHAL – Swim Or Drown
6 – STRIFE – Feel So Good
7 – LIVING DEATH – Worlds Neuroses
8 – SANHEDRIN – Riding On The Dawn (2015 Demo Version)**
9 – SUDDEN DEATH – Backstage Queen***
10 – BLEAK HOUSE – Chase The Wind
11 – MANILLA ROAD – Divine Victim (Live 2018)*
12 – ROXXCALIBUR – See Them Running****
13 – OUTSIDE – Action (7“ Version)***
14 – OXYM – Music Power**
15 – TRANCE – Storm & Thunder
16 – SILVER MACHINE – Feed The Rats
17 – MEKONG DELTA – True Lies
18 – TARGET – The Coming Of Chaos
19 – ROBESPIERRE – Punish Oppressors
20 – SUDDEN DARKNESS – Deathless
21 – TEMPEST – Warmaker
22 – Outro*