Virgin Steele: Help Me Familiarize

Clark Griswold

Clark Griswold

WallyWorld anyone?
Mar 5, 2004
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Lake Charles, LA
I have heard and seen many snippets about Virgin Steele. I know they have been around for some time and have quite the following, however, I just never got around to their stuff.

Their catalog is rather immense, so could you guys suggest 4 or 5 albums that are a "must have"? What better time to start on their catalog.

Your help is appreciated.
 
I only have the House of Atreus albums.

What was their sound like by contrast before House of Atreus, and what do they sound like now on the new album?
 
Granted - it's a bit old now as it was their second album - but I still love that album - was going to pick it up on cd at last progpower but too many other things jumped into my hands (magnetic personality?). Maybe I am just a fan of the Jack Starr era - coz the old phone number on the back of the first albums/eps was actually Jack's number - and even after he left the band he would take calls - play new stuff over the phone - talk about the biz etc.

jeff
 
manowarfan1 said:
Granted - it's a bit old now as it was their second album - but I still love that album - was going to pick it up on cd at last progpower but too many other things jumped into my hands (magnetic personality?). Maybe I am just a fan of the Jack Starr era - coz the old phone number on the back of the first albums/eps was actually Jack's number - and even after he left the band he would take calls - play new stuff over the phone - talk about the biz etc.

jeff
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l'm with you...Jack Starr was the reason l listened...after he left they became a non - entity for me. His Burning Starr stuff was way better than VS ever wanted to be.
 
Guardians of the Flame is a great album. Has some strong thrash elements mixed in too. And Metal City? Great song. One of the best 'songs about metal.' But I don't think they'll play anything off this album.

I agree with Glenn, but I should add that you'd be best served by also picking up House of Atreus part 2. This is the first album that I heard from them, and I was immediately captured by it.
 
Ascension said:
l'm with you...Jack Starr was the reason l listened...after he left they became a non - entity for me. His Burning Starr stuff was way better than VS ever wanted to be.
Click to expand...

I think the total opposite. I like Starr, thought the 1st Virgin Steele would have been good if DeFeis would have screamed less. The 2nd one was good too. But Virgin Steele became a great band with the arrival of Edward Pursino and the album Noble Savage. Both Marriage albums, as well as Invictus and Noble Savage are better than anything Starr played on IMO. From Jack Starr, I liked his the 2nd Virgin Steele, the Burning Starr-No Turning Back disc, as well as the Guardians Of The Flame album he did a couple years ago with Shmoulik Avigal on vox. As for the rest, it's quite forgettable stuff.
 
labrekk said:
I think the total opposite. I like Starr, thought the 1st Virgin Steele would have been good if DeFeis would have screamed less. The 2nd one was good too. But Virgin Steele became a great band with the arrival of Edward Pursino and the album Noble Savage. Both Marriage albums, as well as Invictus and Noble Savage are better than anything Starr played on IMO. From Jack Starr, I liked his the 2nd Virgin Steele, the Burning Starr-No Turning Back disc, as well as the Guardians Of The Flame album he did a couple years ago with Shmoulik Avigal on vox. As for the rest, it's quite forgettable stuff.
Click to expand...

Yes - but dont forget the album with Rhett Forrester - one of my all-time favorite vocalists :) There was some killer tracks on taht one - I thinkyou can get it from a few places - and I know Rhett's Mom put together a "greatest hits" type cd of Rehtt's career to aid in the search for his murderer. Sweet lady - used to get Christmas cards from her years after buying the cd and writing her some letters.

jeff
 
First, I wholeheartedly agree with Glenn's choices. If you're looking for 4 or 5 albums, I can absolutely suggest Age of Consent (a bit uneven, but some of their absolute best songs are on there, well worth your time). As a fifth album, go with the new one Visions of Eden, if you're able to track it down at a price that works for you. The first half of the album is absolutely outstanding, with the rest of the album losing steam (save for the killer ballad - God Above God).

Jason
 
Here's what I wrote in another thread:

A few places to start for VS:

If you can hear just one song - listen to 'The Burning of Rome', track #1 off of "Age of Consent"

If you can grab some albums, I'd say their two best (no filler here)

Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part 1 (Highlights include Blood & Gasoline, Raven's Song, Blood of the Saints, I Will Come For You)

Invictus (Highlights include the Title track, Through Blood and Fire, A Whisper of Death, Veni, Vidi, Vici, . . .heck, the whole damn album).

If like that, move on to the House of Atreus, Act II (some great heavy tunes here). Then, get the rest of the album from Noble Savage (1986) on. The older stuff is still good, but (much like Savatage's early days) pretty much straight forward raw metal, not close to the complexity of the later work.
 
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