After playing a major role in five positively classic heavy metal albums of the late '70s and early '80s (three with 's and two with ), it seemed that singer could truly do no wrong. So it wasn't all that surprising -- impressive, but not surprising -- when he struck gold yet again when launching his solo vehicle, , via 1983's terrific album. Much like those two, hallowed LPs, and , opened at full metallic throttle with the frenetic before settling into a dark, deliberate, and hypnotic groove for the timelessly epic title track -- a worthy successor to glorious triumphs past like and the ' But subsequent metal anthems like and the lycanthrope lullaby were no less inspired; and by injecting uncommonly catchy melodies into the heavy rock riffery still dominating more accessible numbers such as and hit single (where the singer himself played rather spotty keyboards), proved himself perfectly capable of competing with the increasingly commercial hard rock fashions soon to come. Although most fans would agree that would arguably never again replicate the simply sublime symbiosis of beauty and brawn achieved by the all-time standout And, to be fair, aside from 's unquestionably stellar songwriting, 's stunning quality and consistency owed much to his carefully chosen bandmates, including powerhouse drummer (and fellow survivor) , veteran bassist , and a phenomenal find in young Irish guitarist , whose tastefully pyrotechnic leads helped make this the definitive lineup. So, too, is still the undisputed highlight of 's career, and, indeed, one of the finest pure heavy metal albums of the 1980s. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia