Railway

Railway were one of the pioneers of German heavy metal. Although heavy metal generally has come a long way until 1984, when this debut album was released, you can clearly notice that they were trying to deliver and present heavy metal to wider public, as this album has a strong dose of hard rock, but the lyrics are glorifying the power of heavy metal, manliness, sex etc. (very stereotypical fare). So Railway's style can be described as a blend of hard rock, glam/hair metal and the traditional heavy metal. But the main question is: does it work?

No. You see, it doesn't bother me the fact that this album is directly oriented to mainstream, there are dozens of commercial rock bands that are actually good and whose music delivers the goods and cash to their performers. What does bother me, however, is the fact that you feel let down after listening to ''Railway''. You know it's hard 'n' heavy from the '80s, so it's gotta kick some ass. Nope. What you get is a tiring forgettable piece of a mediocre music. Of course, there are some honourable exceptions, but I'll get to that later.

The basic and main problem for Railway are vocal lines and choruses. The vocalist Walter Wicha sounds like a Bon Scott/Brian Johnson wannabe, but nonetheless, he has enough power and grit in his voice to be called a good singer. Anyway, here's the deal - almost every single song kicks off with an excellent riff (a true mixture of hard rock and heavy metal at its best), then Wicha joins the show with his verse lines (which are average at best, annoying at worst), and you start thinking ''Uh-oh, this ain't that good''. And don't get me started with those choruses. Generally, in a mainstream(ish) music, the chorus is the most important part of the song and is supposed to blow you away. And now I ask you, how in the world could you be blown away by this:

''Crazy! Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!
Crazy! Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!''

(The chorus of ''Crazy'', if you haven't already guessed)

I cannot stress enough just how ruinously these bollocks affect on the songs, because like I said, the main riffs are killers, and with proper (rational) vocal parts and choruses all these songs could be nothing less than awesome. Speaking of lyrics, they are bad as well. I mean, I love lyrics about metal, passion, attitude, sex, but just look at this atrocity:

''No one to please me, hangin' around in my room
Baby I miss you, loneliness causes the gloom
Pushin' my balls, rubbin' my thing
Don't like my mother to see
There ain't no way to do it to you
So I will do it to me!''

(Verse of ''Dirty Boys'')

Are you fucking kidding me?! These are probably the most disgusting sex lyrics I've ever heard (for the record, I never listened to grindcore twisted perversions). I'm not asking for some Shakespeare-like wisdoms, but this is retarded and redundant.

But it would be wrong if I say that this is total crap, because it isn't. No, no, there are some damn good things to be found on this album. That would be, apart from main riffs, the songs ''Screaming After Midnight'' and ''Hell Soldiers''. Boy oh boy, how good these tunes are... Everything on them just clicks and fits together - out-of-this-world riffs, lyrics that are actually good, great vocal performance and astonishing choruses. Just listen to ''Screaming After Midnight'', I kid you not, this is one of the catchiest songs I've ever heard. I don't know what's better: that amazing rocking riff, the build-up, the sing-along chorus or the powerful solo... Speaking of solos, they are great as well throughout the entire record - Robert Haslinger and Hermann Janowitz were a great tandem. Seriously, these two songs kick some major ass, and they are the prime example how good this album could've and should've been. What a shame.

This album disappointed the hell outta me. And what particulary hurts is a fact that Railway aren't by any means bad or incompetent band, no way. They just didn't use all their potentials and qualities properly. I'm gonna check out other Railway albums and hope that they were better than this misfire of a debut.

Railway's first full-length self-titled album is a good heavy metal/speed production. It shows hints of a speed metal, but it's combined with other sounds. I'll describe it as a fusion of traditional, speed, hair, and thrash metal, all in one. The album begins with Heavy Metal Fever, very "eighties" sounding, but in a good way. The track has fast riffs and a decent, but simple, chorus. Out to Kill reinforces Railways speed metal trait. The vocals are high like many bands of the time, and definitely above average. I wouldn’t go as far as calling the singing stellar though. The chorus’s are often "chanted" by multiple guys delivering a rough sound.

The best track has to be Screaming After Midnight, fast like always, good riffs, and an impressive chorus. The song is melodic material, almost makes you want to sing along(as lame as it might sound). There isn't a bad song in the mix. Railway put effort into every song, obviously wanting to step into the metal scene with this release. The riffs remain fast and raw, every tune energetic. Another track, not as great as Screaming After Midnight, Nightrider, is also notable for its powerful chorus and riffs. Hell Soldiers concludes the self-titled album with a vicious riff and chorus.

If you are a fan of speed and 80s metal you'll enjoy this release. Railway is one of the better German bands from the early 80s. The album certainly sound better than Accept, Warlock, Mad Max and other German bands from the time. Anyway, if you're fortunate enough to find a copy, don’t pass up the golden opportunity, buy it.