Released November 1977 "Expect No Mercy" was studio album number nine from the Scottish band . The artwork shows sign of
Nazareth becoming a heavy metal band, but "Expect No Mercy" is still trademark
Nazareth with a little more edge.
Their previous album "Play N' the Game" was
Nazareth on autopilot and this time
Nazareth did stir it up a bit. After completing the recordings
Nazareth send the final product to the record company and prepared for yet another tour. To the surprise of the band A&M Records rejected the album with the excuse that the album should be more coherent and more like their previous records.
Nazareth had given a few songs a Cajun/Country flair, which wasn't well received by A&M records. This reissue gives you both versions of the album and the Cajun flair is best heard on the first single from the album
Gone dead Train.
Back in the day I purchased the 7 inch single
Gone Dead Train, which ranks among the best tunes. This reissue also gives you
Greens and
Desolation Road, which were B-sides for the
Gone Dead Train single. The best song is
Kentucky Fried Blues because
Nazareth gets all gritty and dirty on this one.
A Place in Your Heart is the most commercial and suited for radio airplay. "Expect No Mercy" has everything but when it all comes down
Nazareth sounds best when playing stripped down Rock N' Roll.
Moonlight Eyes, which later was released on "The Fool Circle", was actually recorded for the original version of "Expect No Mercy". How come it was rejected is a mystery when you listen to this discarded version.
It's amazing that a new version of "Expect No Mercy" becomes public 33 years after it release. Salvo's deserves lots of honor because the reissue is a true treasure for
Nazareth fans. Some of the bonus material has never been public and the bonus material makes this reissue a true gem in Salvo's Loud N' Proud campaign.
1978 was the first year without a
Nazareth album release. Instead the band took a well deserved break - not to relax but to write songs. The band worked 7 months on the song writing and also brought in a new guitarist. Another Scottish band The Sensational Alex Harvey had broken up and
Nazareth recruited their axeman Zal Cleminson.
In January 1979"No Mean City" was released. Zal Cleminson certainly sets his mark on the album by writing the best song on the album
Simple Solution. Zal Cleminson stepped in as lead guitarist since Manny Charlton focus was on the song writing and producing. "No Mean City" is one of the best
Nazareth albums ever and possible their album guitar wise.
Nazareth seemed reenergized and the album consists of original compositions only.
The opener
Just to Get into it is a great way to start the album since it has energy, raw vocals, melody and great guitar work. The album is marked by hard rocking songs and the riff-fest
Claim to Fame and
What's in for Me are bulls-eye hard Rock songs.
May the Sunshine is the only song that deviates since it's an experimental (by
Nazareth standards) song that plays with emotions much alike Led Zeppelin.
"No Mean City" is one of the best selling
Nazareth albums and one of the albums that define the genre Hard Rock.
Expect No Mercy 7
No Mean City 7
Written by
Michael Thursday, July 22, 2010
Show all reviews by MichaelRatingsMichael: 7/10Members: No members have rated this album yet.
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