This package was designed to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Lizzy Borden's
'Master Of Disguise' album and comes in an appropriately lavish package, bundled with two DVDs.
Borden is yet another of metal's unsung talents, often casually and carelessly listed under the "hair metal band, too close to
Alice Cooper to be cool".
While it was unarguably true that Borden's shock rock metal suffered the indignity of living in Cooper's shadow, his
'Master of Disguise' release in 1989 surpassed anything that he, Cooper or any of his peer group had produced hitherto.
Producers Alex Woltman and Elliot Solomon took a leaf out of Todd Rundgren's '
Bat Out Of Hell' book by presenting the album in the manner of a stage musical, then went one better, mixing drama, theatrics, audience participation and sound fx with larger than life songs, in most cases as strong (yes they are) as Steinman's.
This is trashy metal elevated to an art form, using up-market production values and inventive arrangements to bring the best out of memorable melodies and hooky choruses. Only when Borden launches into shrill, full on metal mode
(Sins Of The Flesh) or reverts to formula
(Roll Over And Play Dead) does the album's step falter, but we can forgive this occasional stumble.
Songs like the Nightranger-ish '
Be One Of Us' and the schizophrenic '
Waiting In The Wings' are clearly fighting hard to escape the straitjacket of Borden's metal past, with an eye on the wider hard rock / Billboard chart arena, and they almost make it.
The punchy '
Master Of Disguise', full of steam and sparks, the ultra theatrical '
One False Move' and the comparatively minimalist ballad,
'Under The Rose' transcend genre pigeonholing. These songs, pure and simple, are great rock songs. Any one of them should have thrust Borden into the vanguard of late eighties hard rock.
But didn't.
This reissue includes two bonus tracks. The ethereal, gothic
'Vampire's Kiss' and the rousing, neo classical instrumental, whose title,
'The Orchestra' says it all really.
The first DVD contains a lengthy 'making of...' documentary. If shaky, fuzzy, hand held camera shots are your bag, or to be generous, a cinema verite style is your thing, then this is for you. Interesting to see Terry Brown's focused approach to mixing the album. In addition, there are two videos - the single releases,
'Love Is A Crime' and '
We Got The Power', plus a picture gallery.
But the real, genuine bonus in this package is a second DVD, in its own case, with its own artwork etc.
The title will ring bells.
'The Murderess Metal Road Show Live' album was released in 1986. A live recording made in
Los Angeles at the end of the band's very successful '
Love You To Pieces' US tour, built on the back of their first two album releases.
This DVD is the video version of the CD. An entertaining manifestation of Borden's theatrical roadshow, enthusiastically received by a capacity crowd.
Considering all this is available at a single CD price, it's an outstanding value package.
Written by
Brian Tuesday, June 5, 2007
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