Lizzy Borden

The Murderess Metal Road Show Live (Metal Blade)
By Martin Popoff

I’m starting to get why Lizzy Borden sold so many records in the metal-friendly spray-day of the late-’80s; it’s because the band’s songs were well-constructed, straddling the classicism of Yngwie or Queensrÿche with the headbanging Germanity of Accept or Warlock. The clothes are another matter, yeesh… This live shredfest, granted, is a celebrated ’85 presentation, but you gotta laugh at Lizzy’s get-ups. Getting past that, the band is spot-on, much more progressive than their reputation, and effortless in presenting pretty tricky riffs, fills, and chills. The sound is good enough, the video… you can tell it’s old, but it’s solid as well. Highlight of the show is the band’s McCartney cover, “Live and Let Die,” killing Axl at that game, Lizzy in possession of (vibrato’ed) pipes for miles. As extras, John Bush interviews a corn-row’ed Lizzy (neither are very good actors!), and the package’s graphics shine for the photo gallery (one of the best I’ve seen) and the discography. All told, 15 solid tracks that will have you suppin’ cough syrup in the Heavy Metal Parking Lot before Lizzy hits the stage, preferably with Eric Steel or Betsy or Jack Starr…
(2828 Cochran St. PMB #302 Simi Valley, CA 93065)