Welcome to another edition of From My Collection. I’d like to begin by saying the fact that both of this month’s entries celebrate 40th anniversaries this year are nothing short of coincidental. Unless it’s commemorating a specific anniversary or an artist’s passing, I select the highlighted album here at random, depending on what mood I’m feeling. And today, I’m feeling some raw, old school Belgian speed. What better band to scratch my itch than Acid? Today, we examine these cult metal gods and their classic sophomore album, Maniac. So buckle up, because it’s time for some “Max Overload”!
In the early 80s, heavy metal mania was sweeping Europe, and Belgium was no exception. By the time 1980 rolled around, bands like Killer, Ostrogoth, and Acid were tearing up the scene, recording demos and playing shows. This straightforward, take no prisoners approach to metal was light years ahead of pioneering 70s acts like the bluesy Irish Coffee, the boogie rockin’ Mothers of Track, and even proto-metalpunkers Blast. The closest thing to happen in Belgium prior to these NWOBHM bands (and in this case, the B stands for “Belgian”) was an obscure outfit named S to S, but even they had blatantly 70s undertones.
The point being illustrated is that all of these newly formed bands were bringing something unique to the table, and Acid was no exception. Led by Kate de Lomabert, they were perhaps the first female fronted Belgian metal band. Three demos were recorded between 1981 and 1982 before Acid first made substantial impact on the scene with their debut 7 inch, “Hell on Wheels” / “Hooked on Metal”. This duo of rough and ready headbangers quickly made an impression, gaining enough traction to score Acid a record deal with local label Giant.
When their self titled debut album became an underground hit, Acid knew they had to go big or go home for album #2, not just musically, but logistically. Maniac would be released in Belgium on Giant, but distributed throughout Europe via Megaton: An early metal label who also distributed albums for the likes of Loudness, Axewitch, and more. This led to copies being sold in countries like Sweden and the U.K., where metal was raging strong, and subsequently being imported to America, where the fiercest defenders of the faith fell for Acid, rightfully branding them as speed metal saviors alongside Venom and Motörhead.
Similar to Exciter’s Heavy Metal Maniac, though not as blatant, Acid’s Maniac is one of those albums with early thrashing moments, but still owes its foundation to good ol’ fashioned traditional metal, albeit played at neck-snapping speed with punkish ferocity. The album’s opening track, “Max Overload”, encapsulates this unique description. The drumming sounds like Discharge, the riffing sounds like Motörhead, the soloing sounds like Diamond Head, and Lombaert’s vocals, while melodic, are anything but welcoming and sweet. It’s no wonder certain zines branded Acid the “female-fronted Venom”. The production and songwriting is far more polished, but the comparison is fair, and we’ll get to that more shortly.
The anthem title track lies on the traditional metal side of the spectrum. The intro and verses boast a lumbering riff akin to Sabbath, while the chorus and solo sound straight out of the NWOBHM (“British”). It’s no wonder so many U.K. maniacs took a liking to Acid. They certainly sounded English when compared to the titans of the day. Meanwhile, “Black Car” boasts a frantic quality heard in the earliest stages of thrash, specifically during the chorus riff. Can we also take a second to appreciate that primal chorus: “Black car, blasting through your life. Black car, smashing down your wife.”
Side A closes with the aptly titled and savagely written “America”. This was the era of euro bands writing songs about the land that lie across the Atlantic. Def Leppard’s “Hello America”, Motörhead’s “America”, Saxon’s “Midnight Rider”, Dark Star’s “Kaptain America”: The list goes on. Acid sits nicely on this list with a full blown speed metal scorcher that chronicles the “Land of dope and take away”. Let’s also take a second to appreciate one of the greatest verses written, not just in metal, but of all time…
“Wanna know how it feels
Getting fucked in yellow on wheels
A yellow cab is what I mean
Kind of hot and very obscene
We’ve got no virtues, only dreams
I’m gonna eat bacon and beans”
Move over Sarcófago!
As we flip over to side B, we’re greeted by one of the songs that earned Acid comparisons to Venom, “Lucifera”. Musically, it’s a far cry from even the earliest strains of black metal. Lyrically on the other hand, Lombaert proclaims her desire for darkness and carnal lust. There’s no denying Mayhem and the aforementioned Sarcófago were taking note while blasting this one on their turntables as young leather-clad lads. With a chorus like “I’m the devil’s daughter, Lucifera’s who I am.”, one thing was certain: Pat Benatar, this was not.
After unleashing that proto-black attack, Acid indulges us with what is perhaps the fiercest cut on the entire album, “No Time”. True to its name, the band plays like they have “No time to hide.” The collective delivery is one of frantic unease, with Anvill’s drumming lying somewhere between a d-beat and a proto-blast. Your neck is definitely gonna feel this the next morning. On the contrast is “Prince of Hell and Fire”, another cut that emphasizes wicked lyrics and equally wicked musicianship over speed and melody. Slow and cryptic, this one wouldn’t sound out of place on Mercyful Fate’s “Melissa”.
Closing this classic album out is the high speed, high energy, and wildly hedonistic “Bottoms Up”. Much like “No Time” and “Max Overload”, “Bottoms Up” pushes the extremity envelope rather far by 1983 standards. The lyrics chronicle the age old trope of drinking too much, but set to a soundtrack that matches the intensity of the lyrics. For as much as Lemmy and the boys drank, I don’t think they ever hallucinated “lots of small animals” coming straight for them, let alone “pink and green, black and white” ones.
After the release of Maniac, Acid soldiered on for two more classic releases in the Black Car EP (1984) and Engine Beast (1985), before calling it a day in late 1985. By now, thrash metal had taken over, and while Acid were early forerunners of the scene, their high speed metal was outdated compared to the likes of Slayer, Destruction, Kreator, and so forth. Fast forward some 35+ years later and renewed interest in the band led to a series of planned reunion performances across the euro fest circuit…sort of.
After splintering with original drummer Anvill, frontwoman Lombaert started her own incarnation of the band, Kate’s Acid. They’re currently playing the fest circuit as I type this, and keeping the music of Acid alive for maniacs like you and I. And that, my friends, is better than nothing. Time will tell if this new lineup conjures up new music. Until then, I propose a toast to what once was in Maniac. Did somebody say “Bottoms Up”?