Avenger: Steel On Steel – The Complete Avenger Recordings, 3CD Review

Formed back in 1982, this box contains the finest tracks by NWOBHM stalwarts Avenger. Consisting of their debut album Bloodsports released in 1984 and 1985s album Killer Elite. Both CDs are partnered with a plethora of bonus tracks of which,  many previously unreleased demos and live tracks. 

The 3rd and final disc contains a previously unreleased live show from their 1986 US tour which sounds good, especially the live version of N.O.T.J.. It’s blistering.

Avenger slipped through the cracks and deserves to be mentioned alongside Annihilator. Avenger are a powerhouse of a band and to be quite honest, without them, I don’t think Metalcore as a genre would exist.

Avenger can be praised for creating the legend that is Ginger Wildheart as the band featured him when he was known as David Walls.

There is no fault with this 3-disc set. All the bonus tracks are taken from founding member Mike Moore and the booklet has many unseen photos from his collection.

This is Avenger at their most pissed-off and heavy. These 3 CDs aren’t to be played on 10, they deserve to be played as loud as possible and heard by many.

Score 9/10

TRACK LISTING

DISC ONE
Blood Sports
1 Enforcer
2 You’ll Never Take Me (Alive)
3 Matriarch
4 Warfare
5 On The Rocks
6 Rough Ride
7 Victims Of Force
8 Death Race 2000
9 N.O.T.J.
10 Too Wild To Tame *
11 On The Rocks *
12 Hot N’ Heavy Express (Demo ’82) *
13 Hunt You Down (Demo ’82)*
14 Love’s Too Late (Demo ’82) *
15 N.O.T.J. (Live in Belgium)*^
16 Hot N’ Heavy Express (Radio Jingle 1982) *
*Bonus Track
^ Previously unreleased track

DISC TWO
Killer Elite
1 Revenge Attack
2 Run For Your Life
3 Brand Of Torture
4 Steel On Steel
5 (Fight For The) Right To Rock
6 Hard Times
7 Under The Hammer
8 Face To The Ground
9 Dangerous Games
10 Yesterday’s Heroes
11 M.M. 85
12 Sawmill
13 Rough Ride (Demo ’83)*
14 Enforcer (Demo ’83)*
15 Push It To The Limit (Demo ’83)*^
16 Turn It Loose (Demo ’83)*^
17 Brand Of Torture (Hot ‘N’ Heavy Show ’85)*
* Bonus Track
^ Previously unreleased track

DISC THREE
Live At L’Amour, Brooklyn, March 3, 1986 *
1 Hard Times
2 Run For Your Life
3 Under The Hammer
4 N.O.T.J.
5 Yesterday’s Heroes
6 Rough Ride
7 Steel On Steel
8 Face To The Ground
9 Brand Of Torture
10 (Fight For The) Right To Rock
11 Like A Tiger ^
* Previously unreleased live recording
^ Previously unreleased track

Label – Dissonance
Release – 19th Jan 2024

For all things Avenger, click HERE, and to purchase the album, click HERE