Power Games＜Blue Cassette＞

Having gradually built a following in the U.K. and continental Europe, Bristol's Jaguar finally found a home at New Wave of British Heavy Metal specialist label Neat Records, which released the band's explosive Power Games debut in the summer of 1983. Falling somewhere between the driving metal pummeling of Saxon and the over the top proto-thrash speed of Raven (largely due to drummer Chris Lovell's lightning-fast footwork), the album was rife with the typical NWOBHM cliches, often relying on sheer energy to get by. Frenetic opener "Dutch Connection" (which made no sense to anyone not aware of the band's rabid following in that country) and ensuing amphetamine-driven NWOBHM gems like "No Lies" and "Raw Deal" help make this one of the most balls-out, rapid-fire romps ever to emerge from the genre. The pace only slackens somewhat for the group's mandatory attempt at delivering a power ballad, in this case, the still quite intense "Master Game." Still, for all the raucous energy and good intent, experts will quickly recognize that Jaguar's music borrows heavily from more expressive members of the NWOBHM community, most notably Raven and Iron Maiden. (The 1998 Metal Blade CD reissue of Power Games concludes with three pre-album tracks, including the hilariously excessive "Axe Crazy.") ~ Eduardo Rivadavia