Welcome to another edition of From My Collection. It’s funny, really, how time remembers certain bands more than others. When it comes to early ’80s metal, you’ve got your obligatory household names: Priest, Maiden, Accept, Mercyful Fate, and so forth. For every one of those flagship acts, there’s hundreds, if not thousands, of bands who crashed and burned after one demo or single, seldom making it to the full length stage. And straddled in between the two is a band like Oz: Beloved by those in the know, and certainly revered by the old guard, but not mentioned as regularly as those aforementioned household acts. Today, we revisit Oz and their 1983 magnum opus, Fire in the Brain. If this essay doesn’t drive you insane, nothing will.
Oz formed in 1977, and like many acts of their era, floundered for years before making any dent as far as recorded music goes. There was no shortage of personnel changes in the half-decade leading up to the release of their eponymous debut album. For what it is, Oz is an OK album, sounding every bit of its era. The lo-fi hard rocking attitude and riffage owes much to fellow euro metallers of the day Scorpions, Krokus, and Picture. If it were the only album they ever made, it would fit fine alongside a drunken Friday night headbanger playlist featuring the aforementioned bands and beyond. However, Oz would go onto much, MUCH greater things.
As Scandinavia’s metal scene grew, Oz quickly gained a following. Their album began to sell, and young, impressionable kids, eager to start their own metal bands, started coming to their shows. The pressure was on for a follow up. Little did anyone anticipate the quantum leap the band would take from album #1 to #2. Sophomore slump? Not for Oz. Come 1983, their now iconic Fire in the Brain hit record store shelves, complete with a U.S. distribution deal courtesy of a brand new independent label by the name of Combat Records. It would be their first release, and catch on quick with east coast headbangers who’d grown accustomed to the heavier sounds of Metallica, Exciter, and the speediest acts of the NWOBHM.
Whereas Oz (or as it’s known in some territories, Heavy Metal Heroes) was a carefree, heavy rockin’ affair, Fire in the Brain was a no-nonsense platter of lethal euro steel, decked out in spikes and leather and stoking hellfire. Look no further than the opening onslaught of “Search Lights”. It’s fast and frantic, but with a demonic sheen. On top of it all, it doesn’t even SOUND like the same band who dropped the album they did a year earlier. The band is tighter, the attack is stronger, and the sound is heavier than ever before. To this day, I maintain that “Search Lights” is one of the greatest album openers of all time.
The short and anything but sweet “Fortune” slows the tempo down, but without sacrificing any of the band’s metal attitude. It sounds less like a boogie metal barroom brawler one would expect from a Krokus album and more like an album cut cranked out by the likes of Running Wild on their landmark debut, Gates to Purgatory, a year later. Lyrically, it’s an outlaw’s ode to gambling (always great inspiration for a metal song), but with a devilish twist (“Lucifer rings the bell”). In an alternate universe, one could imagine Bon Scott, Lemmy, and King Diamond tearing up the highways on their choppers to this banger.
Funny enough, “Megalomaniac” is the one cut on here that could pass as a lost tune from Oz’s early days. There’s a 40 second outburst of Eddie Van Halen-esque guitar wankery before the band goes full blown boogie metal mode, drummer Mark Ruffneck keeping a steady driving beat as frontman Ape De Martini screams and shouts about life as a rock n’ roll star. Boastful beyond belief, Martini proclaims himself to be the “fastest”, “loudest”, “greatest”, and every other OTT descriptor one could fathom. Musically, think an unholy matrimony between Nazareth and Venom. Blackened boogie metal? Sure!
Speaking of black metal, though the genre was in its infancy in ’83, if we were to assemble a “First Wave of Black Metal” playlist, and perhaps one day I will, for historical context, I’d probably have to include “Black Candles”. This side A closer is dark, eerie, and ominous, even more so than your usual occult-themed fare of the day (i.e. Angel Witch, Witchfynde, Cloven Hoof), sonically resembling the blackened heavy metal of fellow euro devils, Mercyful Fate. Admittedly, its influence is probably heard more in the Hellenic crop of the early ’90s or gothic-tinged acts like Nite and Cloak, but present it is!
As we flip over to side B, we’re greeted by…”Gambler”? What did I tell you about metal and gambling?! Funny enough, unlike “Fortune”, “Gambler” is more about love gone awry than gambling proper, but even as a metaphor, its an effective device. Similar to “Search Lights” on side A, “Gambler” gets the second half of this album off to a rollicking start, boasting bashing drums, headbanger mania riffs, face-melting solos, and the unmistakable high octane bellows of Mr. De Martini.
“Stop Believing” keeps the euro metal attack going strong. So strong, in fact, that I think I’m inclined to argue Fire in the Brain‘s back half is stronger than its front half, perhaps thanks to this song alone. Just listen to the twin guitarwork of Speedy Foxx and Spooky Wolff. These two are interlocked in such a rare form, going toe to toe with the likes of Tipton and Downing, if only for 4 minutes. As for the song itself, put it against any NWOBHM anthem released between ’80 and ’82. I dare you to tell me with a straight face it isn’t as memorable or impactful.
“Free Me, Leave Me” expands upon the NWOBHM template even further. The riffs go full Maiden gallop mode, and Ruffneck’s drumming boasts the type of flavor one would expect to hear on Tommy Vance’s radio program. It’s not as singular as “Stop Believing”, but is indeed a pleasant slice of Maiden-tinged fare, almost serving as a calm before the storm, the latter of which arrives in form of the punishing title track. What kills me most about “Fire in the Brain”, the song, is those opening seconds: “Fire in the Brain, take 1!” You mean to tell me one of the greatest songs in metal history was captured in one take? Talk about lightning in a bottle!
Fire in the Brain lived up to its moniker, catching fire all over Europe and further cementing Oz’s status as titans amongst the growing underground. Oh yeah, and remember earlier how I said they inspired youngsters to start their own metal bands? Look closely had the bloodied hand on the cover holding the burning skull. Look familiar? It should, because it belongs to none other than Bathory mastermind, Quorthon. Ironically, Bathory would make their debut alongside Oz a year later as part of the Scandinavian Metal Attack compilation, but that’s another story for another day. As for Oz, they are still active today, kept alive by founding drummer Mark Ruffneck. And I imagine as long as he still has fire in his brain, their reign as heavy metal heroes will continue on!
Excellent album which after years of searching for a physical copy at a reasonable price I managed to pick up a copy recently and I wasn’t disappointed. Classic!
Yes a classic!