Armed and Dangerous

Razor needs no introduction amongst fans of speed or thrash metal, simply put they are considered one of the best metal bands to hail from Canadian shores, standing tall amongst the likes of Voivod, Exciter, Anvil, Sacrifice and Slaughter. This was not always the case however and Armed and Dangerous showcases the band in their infancy when their sound was more on the traditional speed side than the biting speed/thrash cocktail they would champion from Violent Restitution onwards.

Armed and Dangerous begins with "The End" bizarrely the intro for what would be the outro on Executioner's Song and the band revels in a softer sound, not at all akin to the savage speed of the tracks that follow. "Killer Instinct", "Hot Metal" and "Ball and Chain" are fast, face melting numbers that leave as rapidly as they enter, hit and run jobs that leave you bleeding out on the street with no remorse. "Killer Instinct" especially showcases the riffing genius of Dave Carlo; catchy, punchy power chords that border the realms of speed and thrash, no intricacy, no-nonsense, just the simplicity of the riff supreme. Campagnolo's bass sounds perfect on this release, a nice warm tone to the sound as he hammers along at the same pace as Carlo's guitar.

Fan favourites "Take This Torch" and "Fast and Loud" make an appearance here, much in the same format as they appear on Executioner's Song, though without the superior production and atmosphere that the following LP would bring. The pair are slightly longer and more developed numbers compared to those previously mentioned, leaning more to the traditional speed sound and both sporting some of the greatest choruses Razor has ever created. Sheepdog's vocals aren't quite as strong and refined as they would be on following releases with his shrieks and barks sounding a tad strained in places. The character of his voice still shines through, even if he does do a better job on Executioner's Song, so don't let his inexperience at this stage of his career turn you off.

"Armed and Dangerous" stands alone in its composition and structure. A more measured, restrained affair that builds with a slow drum roll and dissonant guitar tones before breaking into a mid-paced speed drive. I think the problem with this song is a lack of Carlo's catchy riffing, which is what I look for first in a good Razor tune, and the palm muted riffs on display here just don't grab me as they do on other tracks. M-Bro's immediate drumming, on the other hand, is on top form here with the slower, more sparse nature of the song allowing him to explore more interesting snare patterns and drum rolls than on other tracks where the guitar takes front and center.

Armed and Dangerous whilst certainly not a bad place for someone looking to get into Razor, their following albums; Executioner's Song and Evil Invaders are stronger and are more likely to sink their razor sharp hooks into the mind than this release. That being said Armed and Dangerous is still a profoundly powerful EP and anyone looking for more of the early Razor sound will not be disappointed with the tracks that are unique to this release. Unrefined, unrelenting and just plain nasty Armed and Dangerous is not for the faint-hearted and will crush the throats of all that stand in the way of its stainless steel fury.