Heavy Metal Time Machine: S. A. Adams - Unearthed

FnA Records
2010


This one is a short past it's sale by date (in other words this critique is a small later in coming) so if that offends you go along. Fact is I got it on with the excellent Eight Lives Gone ( Priscilla http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=priscilla ) with a petition that I do a write up of it if possible. Why not I figured? With S.A.

Adams (The Fury) on vocals/bass/guitars and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Yellow Matter Custard, Hammer of The Gods, Transatlantic, John Petrucci, Inner Sanctum, OSI, John Arch, Liquid Tension Experiment, Liquid Trio Experiment, Neal Morse, Rising Power, Avenged Sevenfold, Cygnus and the Sea Monsters) on drums the album Unearthed began back in the summer of 1985. Long Beach, NY guitar hero S.A. Adams decided to make a life change after attending a Motorhead/Wendy O/S.O.D concert. He left behind a lot that played Judas Priest/Iron Maiden style metal and decided rather to build a part punk/part metal act. Drawing from punk bands like GBH & The Stooges the isthmus would turn out their voice with harder edge groups like Motorhead, Exciter, Raven, early Megadeth, Venom and Tank. Along for the ride was a young teenage drummer by the list of Mike Portnoy. The plan was financed by vocalist/lyricist Bob Muldowney of Kick-Ass Monthly magazine (the mysterious fan who got Metallica's demo into the hands John Zazula of Megaforce Records). The 9 song "DeSade was a Feminist" album generated a vast underground buzz and the chronicle goes that Combat Record's "Bootcamp" series offered the couple a 7 year / 7 album deal. Upon hearing from Muldowney about the deal Adams contacted Portnoy and between December 28, 1985 and January 11, 1986 at Mike Portnoy's Long Beach apartment the pair band out the tracks that would do to be known afterward on as these "Unearthed" songs. Upon reading the contract "details" (remember young bands out there the daimon is always in the details) Mike Portnoy figured out that Fighting would own them for life. Knowing that it was doubtful that Fighting would let him to play (and read with) a band known then known as Majesty he bailed out. As a result Mike would bet on Majesty's legendary 1986 demo and the remainder is history. Majesty turned into Dream Theatre of course. And as for Adams? Adams went on to play with The Fury before starting a successful solo career. So, obviously things worked out. Now onto the essence of the matter. Those looking for any of the progressive rock that Portnoy does so well should park themselves at the door. His work here is pure garage metal. While it shows exactly how thoroughly he was evening at such a new age this is low and foremost furious punk thrash. "Paste The Glass" starts things off with the voice of Motorhead jamming with S.N.F.U. Adams has the pure voice for these early sessions. With a bit of a maze he spits out "Kiss Of Death" a strain that borrows from Anthrax and the early punk of the Beastie Boys. "Love Dies" is Twisted Sister doing Black Sabbath while "Too Far Gone" is part Tank/Sodom and part punk rock New York style. "Sex" is what Motorhead would go like if Sid Vicious had his way. Now there should be no question this album would have been a goldmine for Combat once crossover became all the rage as this is the form of album that could be a soundtrack for a lost generation of kids. "War" would have fit correctly in with both the metal heads out there and punk/skate kids. The matter is does it sound as smart today though? It plays like it is straight out of the mid-eighties although "2 Steps" and "High Plains Drifter" could run for 90's grunge if the lights were turned down real low. "1986" (a dog not intended for the original album) outdoes George Thorogood while "Chapter Closed" is just punk thrash n' roll. So, some of it does quite easily and is worth more than a few listens while other tracks might be too old school for today's music fans. "You Feel Like." is a novelty track taking 50's boy groups and giving them the S.O.D./M.O.D. treatment. As a bonus cut it is odd if nothing to catch the presses over. The final two cuts are also bonus cuts/demo numbers. "Degeneration" with it's "D.D.Degeneration" chorus is pure Green Day. "The Stage Door" is sloppy garage/street metal and a full closing number I'll admit. Had this "band" worked out a better get with Combat support in the day then yeah, this would have been a hit within the metal community (or at least made them a must-hear cult band). As you attack it now though it depends on your mindset. Are you the case that still likes to rip out those old S.O.D. C.O.C. D.R.I. Murphy's Law, Crumbsuckers or Gang Green albums now and so and love them like I do? Or do you scoffing at the 80s as being dated? If your the other then you'll enjoy this. If not so it might not be your thing. I'm sure Mike Portnoy fan's would enjoy seeing where he started. His drum work on Unearthed is like to what he was doing with the band Rising Power (who by the way might be a full degree of character for what these two were shot for on this material). S.A. Adams fans would of form like this since they were the ones who really pushed for this issue in the foremost place. For me I'd say I'll be checking out this issue again from sentence to time as I did love the crossover/DIY style.