Razor: Malicious Intent (1986)

It figures that I have been recently able to find one of Razor's earlier releases right as a box set of all of their releases has been announced.  Their earlier stuff has been so hard to find, but I have managed to get most of them, at some expense.  Now, I could get everything for a very reasonable price.  Ugh.

Malicious Intent is Razor's third album and the earliest one in their discography that I have heard so far.  It presents a decidedly different sound for the band than the more aggressive thrash metal of most of the releases I have heard.  This album finds the band in a much more speed metal sound with some obvious NWOBHM influences.  It appears thrash metal had not yet made its way up to the Great White North by the time this album was released.  That's probably not completely true as Voivod still existed at this time.  But still.

This album is a fast-paced and energetic one with a barrage of riffs and wailing leads.  The vocals are gruff and intense with some truly ear-piercing shrieks at times.  It is an extremely raw and unrestrained sound and one can tell that the musicians here are still finding their way, but that just adds to the charm of the release. 

This is not my favorite Razor album, but it is damn good.  It is clear the band is still finding their voice on this release, though I have yet to hear their first two albums at this time.  It just does not seem as focused as some of their later output.  That's fine though because the rawness of this album makes it appealing in the same way that Kill 'Em All by Metallica is so interesting.