Heavy Metal Maniac in Bloomington, MN

After contributing the song
"World War III"
to
Shrapnel Records
'
U.S. Metal, Vol. 2
compilation,
Exciter
promptly signed with
Shrapnel
and recorded their full-length debut,
Heavy Metal Maniac
, in 1983. Though their debt to
Judas Priest
was clear for all to see (starting with their name, of course), the album packed a hard-edged ferocity and love for speed that pushed it well beyond the bounds of "classic"
heavy metal
and into the realms of the then-nascent
speed metal
movement. Its rough production values and nearly out-of-control distortion added a crucial
punk
attitude and provided the "push over the cliff," as it were, that characterized most of
thrash
's original stars (
Metallica
,
Exodus
Slayer
). That being said, time has proven that
is a much more one-dimensional affair than, say,
Kill 'Em All
, but this wasn't nearly as obvious in the heady days of
metal
's infancy, and songs like
"Cry of the Banshee,"
"Stand Up and Fight,"
and the excellent title track are all mini-classics in their own right. [The 2005 CD reissue of
on
Megaforce Records
includes five bonus tracks, including a pair of radio interviews with bandmembers.] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia