DAGGER – Deep Cuts ’88 – ’99 (2019)

Titled “Deep Cuts ’88 – ’99”, this compilation comprises all the recordings from indie melodic hard rockers DAGGER, covering the 1989 – 1999 period. Not to be confused with the Canadian band of the same name, this Dagger hails from Baltimore, Maryland.

Dagger was founded by vocalist Rob Olds, guitarists Paul Leopardi / John Lejnar, bassist Phil Mahoney and drummer Barry Moss in the winter of 1987. They would quickly start making waves on their local club circuit.
In 1989 the band enter into the studio to lay down 6-tracks for an EP titled “Dream Stealer” that would be entirely self-produced and released by the band on cassette. They managed to press a 7” single with the songs ‘Enchant Me’ w/ ‘Take Me’.

The release would only help the band’s reputation grow, as it out sale major releases in local record stores. Along with their growing live audiences and radio play across the country, things were only looking up for DAGGER.
But then something happened… recording labels initially interested started to take down melodic hard rock artists from their rooster.

Three-fourths of the band would continue on into the ’90s under the new name HIGH BRIDGE and with a slight direction change in sound – not gunge at all – that still showed where the band originally came from.
By the end of the decade, HIGH BRIDGE would release their debut album “The Gift” that would see little to no distribution and is now extremely difficult to find.

The Dagger “Dream Stealer” recording (tracks 1-6) from 1989 sport that kind of melodic hard rock sound typical in America at the end of the ’80s: hooky rockers with melodic guitar work and polished choruses. The sound quality is really good for an indie, and most important: these are very good songs.
Tracks 7-13 are Dagger / High Bridge demos, when the band was morphing to a more darker sound akin Queensryche, Saigon Kick, etc. Again interesting songs in a different style, and quite decent audio quality.

“Deep Cuts ’88 – ’99” is a fine, cool unreleased / deleted stuff from the ’80s from a band with lots of potential, able to write strong songs and good hooks.
Highly Recommended

01 – Enchant Me
02 – Call on the Brave
03 – Let’s Party
04 – Lasting Love
05 – Fight
06 – Take Me
07 – Feeling
08 – Her Eyes
09 – The Gift
10 – Irony
11 – Haunted
12 – She Said
13 – Addicted

1-6 Dagger ‘Dream Stealer’ (1989)
7-13 Dagger / High Bridge demos

Rob Olds – Vocals
John Lejnar – Guitars
Paul Leopardi – Guitars
Phil Mahoney – Bass
Barry Moss – Drums

Pre Order:
heavenandhellrecords.bandcamp.com/album/deep-cuts
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