Battlecry – Red White and Blue

Battlecry
Red White and Blue
1985 Rock Records
Torrance, California, USA

Mariko Martinez – Keyboards background vocals
Dave Chumchal – Lead vocals, keyboards, guitars
Bret Kik Keys – Metallophones
Ronald P. Simmons – Bass, background vocals
Robert Kirk Giverink – Lead guitar, background vocals
Doug Morris – Lead vocals, harmonica, guitar

Side 1:

1. Red White and Blue
2. When the Lord Comes Back
3. Life With the Lord
4. Not Tough Enough
5. Power and Might
6. You’ve Got to Know

Side 2:

1. Red White and Blue (live)
2. Battlecry (live)
3. Not Tough Enough (live)
4. Back to the Rock (live)

So the first track starts off with an interesting metal riff. Then the song kicks in and the keyboards pull it away from metal, but into a possible progressive metal realm. Which direction will they go? Well, the truth is – they go for a pretty straight up rock sound for the rest of the songs on side one. Kind of weird, but there were a few bands that did this back in the day. They probably had some disagreements in the band on direction, so the one metal-ish track was the compromise. “Not Tough Enough” also has some progressive metal leanings. But some of the other songs are almost du-whop. It’s all good rock, but you just wish it was all progressive metal. Side 2 is actually bonus live tracks that are apparently not included on the vinyl version of this album (recorded live on August 23, 1984). Live, they do sound almost progressive metal. The live tracks are two live versions of songs on this album along with two other songs. Just to note – the track list on the j-card is incorrect, so the track listing on the tape itself is listed above.