Odin Best Of
by Heather McNamara
Staff Writer
Every now and then, you get hit by nostalgia. You hear a song you haven’t heard in God knows when, and the memories come flooding back, and you just can’t help but wonder, “Whatever happened to those guys?”
Such is the case with Odin, once one of the most promising bands on the L.A. circuit. You may remember them from the documentary The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years, the foursome who were once predicted to be bigger than Van Halen. Yet, for some unfathomable reason, fame just wasn’t in the cards for Odin, and they never made it past the club stage.
Now Perris Records has released Odin’s Best of package, a set of 18 tracks, featuring the previously unreleased “Let the Show Begin,” that are sure to make the listener pause to say, “Hey, I remember those guys! Whatever happened to them?”
Things start out with “12 O’ Clock High,” which is quickly followed up by the anthemic “Don’t Take No For An Answer,” which are showcases for the primal scream vocals of lead singer Randy O (who threatened to kill himself if the band never made it, but nonetheless is alive and well). The third track, “Fight For Your Life,” starts off with a spoken call to power, then segues into a slow, smooth groove with crashing, smashing drums. All songs on the album feature the scorching, smoking guitar work of Jeff Duncan, best known perhaps for his stint with Armored Saint, as evidenced by “Judgment Day.”
The biggest surprise is the inclusion of “Serenade To The Court,” a short-but-sweet instrumental easy on the ears after all the hard stuff on the rest of the album. “Little Gypsy” may remind some listeners of such contemporaries of Odin as Motley Crue and Ratt.
The guitar intro to “Midnight Flight” is crunchy and will definitely blow your ears away. Other highlights include “She Needs My Love” and “Solar Eye,” then “The Writer” wraps things up with a rocking finish.
Overall, Best of is an excellent sampling of the greatest non-hits from a forgotten gem among ’80s metal acts. It smokes from start to finish, dripping with classic hooks and juicy guitar riffs and absolutely smacking of the ‘80s glam attitude and flash. Pop this in your CD player and take a mind-blowing trip back in time and ponder what could have been.
Track Listing
1. 12 O’Clock High
2. Don’t Take No For An Answer
3. Fight For Your Life
4. Judgment Day
5. Let The Show Begin
6. Little Gypsy
7. Midnight Flight
8. Modern Day King
9. One Day To Live
10. Over Your Head
11. Push
12. Serenade To The Court
13. She Needs My Love
14. She Was The One
15. Shining Love
16. Solar Eye
17. Stranger Tonight
18. The Writer
HRH Rating: 8.5/10
Hi,
Why no mention of Aaron Samson the bass player?