KILLER ELITE

Having used their frightful debut album Bloodsports to prove that even the New Wave of British Heavy Metal required minimum quality standards when it came to rude and crude sound recordings, Avenger set out to shock anyone still listening with the impressive turnaround that was their 1985 sophomore album, Killer Elite. Although far from a groundbreaking or even original-sounding work, (and don't even ask about its commercial prospects), Killer Elite was surely a personal triumph for the hard-working Newcastle quartet, who welcomed new American guitarist Greg Reiter by stepping up both their individual and collective contributions a few notches. None of them more so than vocalist Ian Davidson-Swift (easily the goat of the first album debacle), whose newfound confidence and melodic delivery lead the band's effusive charge through opening duo "Revenge Attack" and "Run for Your Life." The plodding rhythms and dorky lyrics of "Steel on Steel" and "(Fight for The) Right to Rock" threaten to derail their progress all too soon, but Killer Elite really kicks into a higher gear halfway through. Topping out at under two-minutes each, "Hard Times" and "Dangerous Games" are both intense -- short, and sweet; energetic thrashers like "Under the Hammer" and "M.M. 85" (featuring members of Warfare) expand upon that theme, in length and aggression -- and even though it begins in a slightly clunky fashion, "Face to the Ground" soon transforms into a solid, mid-paced, Accept-like stomper complete with gang background vocals. A dramatic power ballad, "Yesterday's Heroes," is even more surprising, and along with manic closer "Sawmill," helped to wind down Avenger's soon-to-be over career with much saving of face. [Note: Avenger's 2002 anthology, Too Wild to Tame featured Killer Elite, remastered and in its entirety, along with the band's remaining career output.] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia