VICTORY – Culture Killed The Native [Japanese CD Edition] (1989) *HQ*

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

A natural evolution from classic rock act Fargo, German melodic hard rockers VICTORY is without a doubt one of the greatest European acts from the genre. Especially during the second half of the Eighties to the early Nineties, VICTORY put out a gem after gem, always under the command of the eximious guitarist Herman Frank.
Many of you have requested their earlier albums, as VICTORY’s music was not easy back in the day, and still are, with physical CD / vinyl pressings long time out of print, and the albums not available as digital download or streaming.
And that’s a crime, as VICTORY 1989’s opus ”Culture Killed The Native” should be part of everyone’s collection. This 4th VICTORY studio album put the band on the same level of European top acts like Treat, Pretty Maids, Accept, even Europe. There’s not a single weak track here, all are just hands-in-the-air arena rock from front to back.
And production is huge, punchy perfect. Handled by Albert Boekholt who previously helped to shape awesome LP’s like Treat’s ‘Dreamhunter’ or Magnum’s ‘Wings Of Heaven’, VICTORY’s “Culture Killed The Native” is just mesmerizing.

The band replaced frontman Charlie Huhn with Swiss / Spanish singer Fernando García ”Toro Loco”, and that worked flawlessly with the new vocalist bringing a fresh youthful air. As said all songs are killer, but if you need some must haves: ‘Never Satisfied’, ‘Don’t Tell No Lies’, monster midtempo ‘On The Loose’, even the ballad ‘Lost In The Night’ has power. Oh, and you can’t believe last track ‘Into The Darkness’ is exclusive to the CD (not in the vinyl nor the cassette), an assassin, ripping melodic / metallic tune.

Every VICTORY album is nothing short of outstanding melodic hard rock, but among all that greatness, one must stand above the rest—and this is it. Simply put, ”Culture Killed The Native” is the finest of them all. We cannot recommend this brilliant CD highly enough.

01 – More And More
02 – Never Satisfied
03 – Don’t Tell No Lies
04 – Always The Same
05 – Power Strikes The Earth
06 – Lost In The Night
07 – On The Loose
08 – Let It Rock On
09 – So They Run
10 – Standing On The Edge Of Time
11 – The Warning
12 – Into The Darkness

Lead Vocals – Fernando Garcia “El Toro Loco”
Guitar, Vocals – Herman Frank
Guitar, Vocals – Tommy Newton
Bass – Fargo Peter Knorn
Drums – Fritz Randow
Backing Vocals – Max Werner, Robin McIrish, Rocky Newton

Out of Print