REVIEW: Cobra (UK) - Back From The Dead (1987)

Cobra are band from England formed in 1984. Metal Encyclopedium classifies them as power/speed metal band. I would put them more on heavy/speed myself. They released two full-lenght albums in their career Warriors of The Dead and this one here - Back From the Dead.

Not much here that we haven't heard before. The songs are mostly mid-fast traditional 80s heavy in veins of something like rougher Ostrogoth/Tröjan meeting the melody of Iron Maiden/Omen falling somewhere in between. Just not quite as memorable. The sound is dirty and rough yet melodic. This is partly because the sound mix is quite rough edged. Partly because the vicious singer Paul Edmonson uses kind of shrieky high vocals. He's decent and at times even good, but quite often he sounds a bit out of key and out of place. He's bit unstabile but not totally bad. Just average shrieker who can use cleaner classic heavy vocals also, but he uses them quite little on this album. Riffs here are quite good standard, not too shiny but manage to keep album enjoyable. While riffs may be a bit generic, on the good side they are energetic at least to say. This album rarely sounds slow and plodding..

About half of the songs are quite good while other half is more unmemorable but decent. Opening track We're Going To Take What's Ours is more anthemic Maiden'ish track - especially the chorus - which would be cool to shout along. Speedy Devil's Daughter with doublebass drums, some cool shredding/soloing and uplifting atmosphere is very good track. Edmonson's vocal delivery is also very good here. Some good palm-muted melodic riffing can be found on more dramatic Night Creatures (even though vocals are bit out of key at times). Royal fast melody lead riffs open up Longest Night, which is great speedy song with very good lead guitar work - total headbanging material and probably best song on the album. Rest of the songs are just decent, except keyboard-laden half-acoustic Life's Door with clean vocals feels like it doesn't fit here and closer Quick Off The Mark is just unmemorable.

Conclusion? Speedier tracks generally work better than mid-paced. At best overall atmosphere is energetic. Worth of getting for We're Going To Take What's Ours anthem and speedy Devil's Daughter & Longest Night and some decently good shredding and guitar leads. Your quite standard speed/heavymetal from 80's with enough nice melodies and hooks to make it enjoyable album despite it's flaws - falling above average category. 75/100 (Good)

• Steve Hughes - Guitars
• Paul Edmonson - Vocals
• Sean Parker - Bass
• Chris Greer - Drums
• Ian Beck - Guitars

• 1. We're Going to Take What's Ours 04:48
• 2. Maiden Flight 03:54
• 3. Devil's Daughter 03:55
• 4. Night Creatures 03:27
• 5. Longest Night 03:55
• 6. Curse of Eden 05:23
• 7. So Close 03:04
• 8. Life's Door 05:36
• 9. Quick Off the Mark 05:08
• Total running time: 39:10

For Collectors:
(Following prices have raised since ’99 but will give you direction)
Used album price @ Martin Popoff’s Heavy Metal Record Price Guide (1999):

Label – Ebony/EBON39
Type – LP/UK/86
Near Mint – $11
Very Good+ - $6.50