NAZARETH – Expect No Mercy ’77 [Air Mail Archive Japan / Remastered +7] *HQ*

320_1 /// 320_2 /// HQ 1 /// HQ 2

As part of Ａ Ｉ Ｒ  Ｍ Ａ Ｉ Ｌ  Ａ Ｒ Ｃ Ｈ Ｉ Ｖ Ｅ Japanese label reissue campaign of NAZARETH albums featuring 24bit remastering and cardboard sleeve mini-LP replica, here’s 1977’s “Expect No Mercy“, including bonus tracks. According to the label, this is ’24 Bit remaster 2006′ especially done for the Japanese market. Sound quality is excellent. Among the bonus tracks, the title track “Expect No Mercy / Live Version” has a killer stereo separation that scares!
Released in 1977, NAZARETH’s ”Expect No Mercy” is widely regarded as a high-quality, full-blooded return to heavy, blues-driven hard rock, abandoning the softer experimentalism of previous albums for a polished, powerful sound. Critics and fans praise its consistency, strong riffs, and Dan McCafferty’s vocals, often ranking it just behind ‘Hair Of The Dog’ in their discography.
Indeed, the songs are hard rocking as early NAZARETH, but what makes ”Expect No Mercy” different is the production vibe – the album has that distinct ‘1977-1978 sound’, handled by guitarist Manny Charlton.

The result is a potent, driving slab of hard rock that will please NAZARETH fans and devotees of 1970s hard rock alike. The album sets its frenzied tone right off the bat with its title track, a blistering rocker that features McCafferty spitting out a sharp-edged vocal about life’s cruelty over a series of fast and relentless guitar riffs.
The remainder of the album prominently features a similarly brutal string of rockers: standouts include “Revenge Is Sweet,” a paean to getting even that combines chugging guitar riffs with a stomping beat, and “Gimme What’s Mine,” a fierce declaration of dominance that layers Southern rock-styled riffs over a churning bassline.

Despite this preponderance of hard rocking tunes, ”Expect No Mercy” isn’t just a guitar-fest. It also takes time to explore country-rock (there is an excellent, rocked-up cover of the country standard “Busted” as well as a honky tonk-style original called “Place in Your Heart”) and even a little bit of funk (a hard-grooving slice of funk-rock fusion called “New York Broken Toy”).
The album never takes the daring stylistic chance within the hard rock formula that distinguished ‘Razamanaz’ or ‘Hair of the Dog’, but this is minor quibble in light of the album’s high levels of consistency and quality.

In short, ”Expect No Mercy” is a treat for NAZARETH fans and a solid listen for any hard rock aficionado who wants a good indication of the group’s style. Brilliant album cover by the legendary Frank Frazetta by the way.
Highly Recommended

Ａ Ｉ Ｒ  Ｍ Ａ Ｉ Ｌ  Ａ Ｒ Ｃ Ｈ Ｉ Ｖ Ｅ
AIRAC～1208
Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)

01 – Expect No Mercy
02 – Gone Dead Train
03 – Shot Me Down
04 – Revenge Is Sweet
05 – Gimme What’s Mine
06 – Kentucky Fried Blues
07 – New York Broken Toy
08 – Busted
09 – Place In Your Heart
10 – All The King’s Horses
BONUS TRACKS:
11 – Greens
12 – Desolation Road
13 – Gone Dead Train -Edit Version-
14 – Expect No Mercy -Alternate Version-
15 – Place In Your Heart -Alternate Version-
16 – Kentucky Fried Blues -Edit Version-
17 – Expect No Mercy -Live Version-

Dan McCafferty – vocals
Darrell Sweet – drums
Pete Agnew – bass guitar, guitar
Manny Charlton – guitar, producer

Out of Print
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/DAKAIRAC-1208