Review by Felix on February 28, 2020.

I have lived each and every day of the eighties. It was a great decade and sometimes I wish I could go back in time, in particular after every new look in the mirror. Nevertheless, I also admit that sometimes the wallpapers were ugly during these years, not as hideous and glaring as they had been in the seventies, but still dubious. In this light, the artwork of Lions Breed’s first, last and only album scores with authenticity. However, the artwork (and my small pocket money) was probably the reason why I did not buy a copy of Damn the Night. I mean, a girl in black tights gets stimulated by a Flying V – is this a kind of joke? Anyway, it was a big mistake to leave the different outposts of paradise, usually known as record stores, without having bought this work (yes, the internet was not yet invented. Glorious analogue times!)

The only track I knew was 'Live and Let Die'. It made me think of James Bond, but the song itself lacked action. I liked its riff, but this traditional mid-tempo number did not satisfy my appetite for thrash metal, simply because it was no thrash… And in polarizing times where no thrasher wanted to be caught in the act while listening to traditional or even “poser” sounds, this marked a severe disadvantage. Nevertheless, I was a fool, because the song has a decent chorus that keeps sticking in the mind. Frankly speaking, today I wonder that I spent my last Deutschmarks for Atlain’s debut, but not for that of Lions Breed, because both formations sound confusingly similar. They preferred the same degree of heaviness at the interface of speed and traditional metal and their singers Ulrich Rohmann (Lions Breed) and Peter Müller (Atlain) seemed to use the same vocal cords. They have the same high-pitched approach and they use it competently. Rohmann’s minimally more melodic voice has charisma, even though it does not sound very masculine from today’s perspective. But as mentioned before, we are speaking about an album of the eighties and this kind of vocals was absolutely socially accepted. Only Living Death’s Toto went one step too far, but that’s another story.

Today I know that 'Live and Let Die' is an unspectacular yet strong piece of metal, but it is not among the highlights of the manageable catalogue of Lions Breed. Other songs take the crown. In chronological order: 'Heavy Current' is an up-tempo opener that has a shady flair and Rohmann’s voice sounds like a siren when singing the song’s name. No useless breaks disturb the smooth flow of the track. Progressive sounds were not the playground of the German pioneers and Lions Breed made no exception. The dudes from Gelsenkirchen (neighbours of the more steadfast Tom Angelripper) concentrated on unerring riffs and this way of proceeding gave 'Searover' its inner strength. The beginning of 'All Night Be Damned' is also very promising in view of its exciting riff which can be understood as a distant relative of Accept’s “Princess of the Dawn”. Perhaps the song gives the excessive guitar solo too much room, but it is still a juicy piece of meat. The “Defenders of the Faith”-influenced 'Neon City' shows the full potential of the band for the last time. The remaining tracks avoid big mistakes, but it was probably no coincidence that they had to take a place on the B side.

The album shines with a crisp production and even though it cannot hide its advanced age, it still spreads lively vibes. The warm sound of the eighties embraces the listener in a friendly yet strict way. It’s no flawless mix, just listen to the pretty powerless drumming at the beginning of the closer, but it brings back the spirit and the sound of the mid-eighties. This technical frame and the fact that all songs can rely on very solid riffs and effective choruses give the album its class. These features and the band’s down-to-earth mentality as well as the urban atmosphere of the entire material make even slightly less thrilling songs like 'Lady of the Night' (please ignore the kitschy title) to little Teutonic metal feasts. And so, I am in a nostalgic mood… and I want to see a German metal festival with Lions Breed, Atlain, Steeler (who are not allowed to perform songs from their third and fourth album) and Samain (who only play “Straight Hammered Creed” three times). But maybe it’s better that my wish does not come true. I see enough old men when I look into the mirror – I do not need to see more representatives of this not so sexy species.

Rating: 7.7 out of 10