VICTORY – Temples Of Gold [Japanese edition] (1990) *HQ*

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

Born from the ashes of rockers Fargo, German melodic hard rock act 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.
Now here’s VICTORY 1990’s ”Temples Of Gold”, indeed, a pot of gold. This Japanese edition is pressed on gold CD.
Yesterday we featured the band’s previous ’89 album, the essential ‘Culture Killed The Native’. Well, add ”Temples Of Gold” into the essential list; same line up / same producer Albert Boekholt – the result? Another amazing, incredible, astonishing killer record from VICTORY.
”Temples Of Gold” is in the same league of 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.

Don’t let the first song fool you. “Rock ‘N’ Roll Kids Forever” has a silly name and a couple bars of something that does not rock in the front, but then it cranks up and it’s all hard rockin’ riffs, upbeat tempos, catchy hooks, and Fernando Garcia doing his thing. Garcia had a distinctive voice that could carry a hooky chorus with enough angst and desperation to bring that edgier tinge that nudges Victory (along with a nice, dark guitar tone and hard driving drumming) into that border zone between hard rock/metal and true heavy metal.
This is a place where only a certain few can stand and earn respect from folks who really like the melodic hard rock more and also garner true love and respect from headbangers who really like the heavy metal side of things. A place right nearby where Accept could stand.

Which brings me to Herman Frank, who played guitar straight through all of Victory’s catalog and also played with Accept (from way back on Balls To The Wall and more recently on Blood of the Nations, Stalingrad, Blind Rage). This is a metal guitarist who can bring the guitar tone, attitude, and memorable hooks in spades. High energy. He is doing his thing really well on this record.

”Temples of Gold” is one heavy rocker. Catchy, with choruses that will stick in your head and guitar riffs you will want to crank. Several of the songs are pretty driving even as the guitar draws on something a little bluesy or the chorus is calling for you to put a lighter in the air.
The album also includes 3 songs recorded Live in L.A. showcasing how good VICTORY is.

”Temples of Gold” is a great hard rock / melodic metal album, heavy on the metal yet still definitely a hard rocker with melody – the best of both worlds.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

01 – Rock ‘N’ Roll Kids Forever
02 – Backseat Rider
03 – Standing Like A Rock
04 – All Aboard
05 – Hell And Back
06 – Temples Of Gold
07 – Take The Pace
08 – Rock The Neighbours
09 – Mr. President
10 – Break Away
11 – Fighting Back The Tears
12 – The 9th Of November
13 – More And More (Live In L.A.)
14 – Don’t Tell No Lies (Live In L.A.)
15 – Never Satisfied (Live In L.A.)

Lead Vocals – Fernando Garcia “El Toro Loco”
Guitar, Vocals – Herman Frank
Guitar, Vocals – Tommy Newton
Bass – Fargo Peter Knorn
Drums – Fritz Randow

Out of Print