Rival CDs

 

Cost: $1 each 

The first two discs showed up at one of my normal CD watering holes, and musically, they're one of my best finds there. Then State of Mind happened to show up at a completely different store not too long after.

Rival - Rival (1991/1998)

Disc is from 1998, but was originally released on tape in '91. Straightforward heavy metal. I would hesitate to call it traditional or classic metal as it doesn't sound like mid-'80s USPM or the Priest/Maiden worship I would associate with that. Even though they seem to like playing at faster tempos, it's not really speed metal overall. I wouldn't strongly object to hearing it called heavy/power metal as Metal-Archives classifies the band, as there are definitely some power and even melodic metal sensibilities here that make sense for a late '80s/early '90s release. In any case, it's very good. The "Beast of the Night" intro fooled me into thinking it was going to be a 6 min. ballad, but it ends up being one of the best songs.

 

Rival - Modern World (2000)

Almost a decade later, and no big changes to their sound. Several tracks lean farther into power metal, and as a full length, it feels more varied than the previous CD, but that's about it. Should also add that I saw some German reviews for the band making lots of strong musical and vocal comparisons to Omen, which I didn't get at all until the end of this disc, where you can definitely hear musical similarities in "The Chosen." Also makes it the best song.

 

Rival - State of Mind (2004)

At this point, Metal Blade had signed the band. Not a fan of the cover or alternating caps/lowercase font in the layout, which feel so generic that I can see them being used by any disposable power, prog., or even melodeath band. Even though only 4 years passed since Modern World, this feels like a bigger stylistic change than between the first two CDs. There is far more thrash influence, and in general it feels more contemporary than the previous discs, which I prefer. However, they did it once again, and brought out the firepower at the end of the CD. "Lord of the Knights" is nice and feels more consciously old-school sounding, but the thrashy closer "Hell Train" is really great. Reminds me of the thrashier Manilla Road circa Out of the Abyss beefed up.