Voice Records - 1984
9/10
Before becoming the thrash-oriented powerhouse that these Canadians are known for, Razor took the stripped-down, traditional heavy metal approach in line with the NWOBHM acts. That was a very short-lived experience, and while it may show its roots on their full-lengths, the debut EP Armed And Dangerous is the only release to fully flash these lights. It’s a short, sweet experience that’s nice and clean. That alone gives it a standout charm, alongside the superior songwriting.
Despite being the least-aggressive approach, there’s a primal energy to Armed And Dangerous that feels flattering. There’s little in the vein of vocal focus, taking the early ‘80s Pantera approach without any glam fluff and instead just boasts attitude. To match, we have a mildly fuzzed overcast from the bass and lower production value. That raw foundation allows the leads to pierce the surface as the forefront of the experience; consider this helpful, since the leads are Razor’s strongest feature.
And yet, some songs make their presence a little more brash, namely looking at the likes of “Hot Metal.” A need for a harder drive contrasts the laid-back approach of the title track’s steady and heavy focus, and the fact that they compliment each other so well is a great selling point. If that’s not enough, the drums feel more prominent in the latter of the two tracks, working with the leads to establish a mature approach. And if you still crave the speed, look forward to “Take This Torch.” For something so brief, there’s a little taste of everything that this genre is heavily known for.
While maybe nothing groundbreaking, this is everything I look for in those older, brief traditional metal releases that precede a classic career. Nine times out of ten, you can get a whiff of what’s coming, but it’s divorced from the central selling point. Perhaps a hot take, but I like this better than any Razor full-length. Worth seeking out for fans of early Def Leppard, early Pantera, Angel Witch, or Tank.
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