If Heaven Is Hell

“…light burning in your eyes, telling all your lies, leading me to hell, and I just hope and pray that I’ll be there some day…”

Tokyo Blade’s stretch of singles released during and slightly after their ’83 debut lp had seen light of day basically consist of songs written as Genghis Khan for their ’83 Double Dealin ep (an item definitely worth owning for both listening pleasure and possible collectible payoff factor). While these ‘repackaged’ discs aren’t nearly as scarce or sought after, song-wise the versions are almost identical, and when you come to own some of TB’s pre-’85 catalog be it albums, eps, or singles, you’re gonna get stuck with most or all of these tracks. The ‘84 Midnight Rendezvous ep itself, aside from an altered track order, is the closest mirror image you'll find of Double Dealin'.

With their first single we get a welcome pair of stronger songs that will ultimately power the band through their heavy time up to around ’85 before things went more conventionally soft-serve. At slightly over six minutes, “If Heaven is Hell” is unusually longwinded for a single, and after awakening with a mere twenty second breeze of Spanish-style acoustics, the remains of this song is focused on nuthin’ but relevantly scattered, yet sometimes dual solos, the warm n’ creamy tan of Alan Marsh’s tenor, and like many T-blade tunes, terminal catchiness. Comparably, “Highway Passion” is more straight ahead in its structure and gait, using its title to cruise effortlessly across its b-side (yet could just as well be the a-side) status with a memorable chorus and the energy fans like yours truly will come to know like a new friend that over the years has become an older, more trusted one, a friend I never mind hearing roll up the driveway.

A confident confetti-thrower for which to cut your Tokyo Blade teeth on.