CENTAURUS s/t LP (1978)

1.In the Mood
2.The Lych Way
3.The Rocker
4.On the Sands
5.If I Build My World for You
6.You Shake Me
7.To the Wireless
8.The Maiden Song
9.Cold Emotion

Okay, this post is a bit off the regular beat and path of my blog...
Years before Doug Moody started dipping his dick in early American hardcore/punk with his Mystic Records label, he was putting out records by metal, and hardrock bands. He used his Azra Record Label to put this stuff out. Centaurus were from Sunny California and played hardrock that was definetly influenced by the likes of early Van Halen, B.O.C., Deep Purple, etc. I think the fact the one of the band members on the back cover was wearing a Jaguar shirt got me to buy this LP. I was disappointed for sure back then, because they sounded nothing like the nwobhm sound that I was digging on. It took me some time to warm up to this one for sure. I'm sorta doubting that to many punks, and very few metal heads will dig this one, as its a obscure hardrock record much in the vein of say early Riot that just plain rocks.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ogmj21myzyz

UF0 boogie for George/follow you home 7" (1970)

1.boogie for George
2.follow you home

Okay, this is about as early of music that you'll ever see posted here. These guys were a band I dug in the early 80's, although it was the Schenker years that I was exposed to back then. The MSG UF0 stuff was a lot more metal then this heavy psych stuff. When I finally was exposed to this stuff I got really into it, and can't even be bothered with the later stuff anymore. If you haven't heard the stuff, don't sit on it, its crushing for sure. Unfortunately these guys only did 2 albums with the guitarist that played during this era. The music had a very heavy Sabbath vibe. Its easy to see how bassist Pete Way went on to influence the likes of so many NWOBHM bass players including Steve Harris. I have no idea how this Japanese pressing ended up in my collection, seemed I bought it years ago and never realized how great these guys were before filing the sucker away.

http://www.mediafire.com/?njtl2mylz1z

HARDSTUFF bulletproof LP (1972)

1. Jay Time
2. Sinister Minister
3. No Witch at All
4. Taken Alive
5. Time Gambler
6. Millionaire
7. Monster in Paradise
8. Hobo
9. Mr. Longevity
10. Provider, Pt. one

Not the typical type of stuff that I usually post on my blog, but this is seriously a great underground, obscure & heavy gem. Heavy psych people go nuts for this stuff. Its the type of stuff I've been collecting lately...1972 is the magic year.
This LP came out in around 1972, and featured two members of AtomicRooster, and has a rumored Capt Beyond connection as well. This stuff is all over the board musically, but typically is pretty proto metal. This is heavy, gritty and dirty. Its very ahead of its time. You can hear influences from everything from Black Sabbath, to Bowie, to Skynyrd. Don't let those influences scare you off to this one, this is heavy. My favorite song on here is "Time Gambler".
Unfortunately I didn't grow up listening to these guys, or even knowing how classic they were until my friend Jamie Double Decker turned me on to them. I ended up paying good money for the vinyl. The band released a second LP that wasn't half as good as this debut.

http://www.mediafire.com/?xuxy334gcyc

the RODS-s/t LP (1981)

1. Power Love
2. Crank It Up
3. Hungry for Some Love
4. Music Man
5. Woman
6. Nothing Going on in the City
7. Get Ready to Rock & Roll
8. Ace in the Hole
9. Rock Hard
10. Roll with the Night

The Rods were almost a local band for me, as they were from Rochester NY. I'd say they were pretty obscure indeed. As you can see by my Achieves I've put "wild dogs" by them up in past uploads. I love both albums. This one I think they are going for, or at least were seriously influenced by Motorhead (though vocally some early Riot). I mean look at the cover. The Rods were a three piece as well, that featured Ronnie James Dio's cousin, David Fienstein on guitar and vocals. This was as close to American New Wave Of Heavy Metal as I would get to see, although the stuff might be more hard rockin to some.
This stuff brings me back to air guitar, and wishing I was a rocker...just being young.

http://www.mediafire.com/?clye2x04y2y

VIRGIN STEELE- s/t LP (1982)

1. Minuet in G-Minor / Danger Zone
2. American Girl
3. Dead End Kids
4. Drive on Thru
5. Lothlorien
6. Still in Love With You
7. Children of the Storm
8. Pictures on You
9. Pulverizer
10. Living in Sin
11. Virgin Steele

It was sometimes hard to figure out what these Long Island dudes were trying to do back in the early 80s. Their record covers always looked so fucking cool, and psychedelic. The music never really fit the covers to me, but I love them just the same. The band featured the infamous Jack Starr on guitar, he was a total shredder and was able to mix metal/blues well in his solos making him an unknown guitar hero. This stuff for sure falls in the nwobhm/hardrock vein (much like fellow NY's Riot). The band used key boards for background stuff sometimes. I do think that Rhapsody and Blind Guardian owe much to V.S.
I wish I still had my generic looking virgin steele t shirt. I can remember seeing ads in every shit little zine to every big zine by these guys. I'm pretty sure they did everything themselves, as the LP was on V.S. records...A great and obscure metal classic.

http://rapidshare.com/files/71985173/virgin_steele.zip.html
or copy paste below
http://www.mediafire.com/?32mjcbhcsyy

UFO(2) flying dbl LP (1973)

1. Silver bird
2. Star storm
3. prince Kajuku
4. the comming of prince Kajuku
5. Flying

One of my favorite heavy 70's records for sure. This is the bands second LP, and features their first guitarist Mick Bolton. They called this "space rock", some called it prog rock. To me it was just great hardrock that was a perfect mixture of Black Sabbath, Led Zepplin, and Pink Floyd. Stuff is so heavy for the time period. After seeing some of the bands early videos on youtube its easy to see just how influential these guys first two records were. Totally addicting, early metal. The rhythm section is amazing, and so tight.

http://rapidshare.com/files/64585737/UFO_-_Flying__1971___224K_.zip.html