| Musical Style: Metal/Hard Rock | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Roxx Records | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 1985 / 1987 / 2021 | Artist Website: |
| Tracks: 17 | Rating: 75% |
| Running Time: 69:03 |
Central Florida’s Chariot is far from the first ‘white metal’ band to the eighties custom cassette party, but after repeat listen to both of the groups full-length independent demo releases, we can confirm it deserves to rank alongside other top unsigned acts of the time. Individual Chariot members, consisting of vocalist Paul Aviles, guitarist Louis Filardo, bassist Jim Pappadeas and drummer Bruce Fleming, got their start in the late seventies playing together in various high school club bands. By the mid-eighties, however, each had come to the faith and reunited under the Chariot moniker with a new outlook on life. Specifically, Chariot formed with the ‘realization of the miracle of rebirth in each of us’ which led to a ‘unified urgency to spread the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ’ (as taken from the groups press material).
Chariot debut full length Tell The World (a promo demo shipped mainly to magazines) came out in 1985, while sophomore effort Step Into Light (groups first official release to a wider audience) followed two years later on Armor Records. My introduction to Chariot came via the Regency Records 1988 compilation Underground Metal to feature the Step Into Light title track and 1989 White Metal Invasion cassette (a fund raiser for White Throne magazine) to include “Truth” (also Step Into Light). It is tempting to pigeonhole Chariot ‘eighties metal’ but that would only be telling part of the story in that similar to many reviewers back in the day I hear a hard rock sound akin to Y&T, accrediting Aviles’ smooth, mid-ranged vocals, with occasional blues and Southern rock influences. Yet, a commercial side to Chariot also rears its head found in leanings towards AOR infused melodic metal and hard rock.
Good news is that despite being out of print and hard to find collectors items, Tell The World and Step Into Light were re-mastered (by Rob Colwell of Bombworks Sound) and re-issued in September of 2021 by Roxx Records on Limited Edition CD under the title History Lesson: The Complete Anthology Of Chariot. A sixteen page mini booklet (noting work of Scott Waters of No Life Til Metal Graphics) is home to eye catching cover art in addition to lyrics to all 17 tracks, vintage band photos, detailed band bio and a collage of concert flyers, reviews and interviews from the time.
Tell The World
Tell The World gets off to a strong start with one of its better tracks in “Constant Confusion”, an eighties style hard rocker embodying the early Chariot sound: catchy upbeat momentum, abundant melodic hooks and layered vocal melodies to taste. Filardo tops things off with a fitting shred guitar solo.
Equally notable is “One More For Heaven”, this reviewers choice track in playing up Southern rock harmonies and bluesy facets alongside Pappadeas’ mirthful bass line, and “On And On”, albums lengthiest and most progressive at five and a half minutes to features moments dreamy and tranquil and those to see stern guitars impel to the front of the mix. Former features lead guitar straight from the Bride school of bluesy soloing and latter Fleming’s intricate drum work.
“Survive” is also of merit but in a commercial vein with its riveting harmonies and bustling bass to derive of a pop essence (lyrically focusing on how you can ‘survive with Christ’), while “Go Tell The World” traverses similar territory with AOR touches and punchy guitars to speak of .38 Special (jam based instrumental run to close things out). Aviles highlights both with his clean and heartfelt vocal delivery.
A step down but still good is “Don’t Forget The Love” with its bluesy signatures and high energy acclivity and “I Can See” in like form to see grooving riffs and every bit bluesy accents hold sway. Nothing wrong with either but also not as engaging when alongside the better Tell The World material. Similar impression from “For You” in lacking the forthright hooks for repeat play despite the rolling drum, mid-paced hard rock focus in addition to “Look” by standing out not so much musically with its raw metal guitar edges but rather lyrically in exhorting the listener to ‘just have faith in Jesus, and you’re on your way. Look to Jesus, He’s the way’.
I identify with Tell The World as representing the Chariot potential in terms of songwriting and musicianship when factoring its better material. That said, some inconsistency comes into play in several cuts that while far from bad do not garner my full attention either.
Final verdict: A lot to like from a talented young band equates to 75%
Step Into Light
Step Into Light impresses with stronger production values (not that Tell The Truth sounds bad) not to mention amalgamating a metal guitar sheen with the group’s signature hard rock focal point. Hence, albums opening title track to see a heavier momentum and Stryper style vocal melodies align with Bride style bluesy grit. “Voice In The Wind” is equally good as a classy five-minute ballad bursting of affluent melody as poignant vocals and moving harmonies play prevalent roles. If Chariot had recorded eight more songs on this level, and released them as part of a full-length project, it would have a potential classic on its hands.
Of every bit consideration but in a more upbeat vein is “Wise Eyes” as a shorter (three and a half minute) hook laden and vibrant metal cut (bass line refuses to quite) and “2000” with its all out speed metal allure to feature mercurial riffing and every but expeditions lead guitar (timekeeping is of the intricate variety).
This reviewers favorite is “Truth” in upholding a technical metal flair (akin to Stay Of Execution era Deliverance) as steady as it gets rhythms, complex melodies and several stretches of flashy soloing carry the day. The emotionally delivered vocals speak of, ‘the bright Morning Star’ and how ‘the Truth can set you free’.
Similar to Tell The World, some chaff presents in that “Nothing’s Changed”, a plain mid-tempo hard rocker of a gravelly form, and “Reflections”, thickly woven blues rock but also lacking notable hooks, do not do anything for me. “Know For Sure” also fails to impress with its roughly hewn and rawer production edges (it sounds as if taken from a completely different recording session).
I might be repeating much of what I said in my summary of Tell The World but the better Step Into Light material finds Chariot in fine form in revealing the potential that should have led to a label deal. “Truth”, “Step Into Light”, and Voice In The Wind” are top notch and would form the basis of any quality eighties metal and hard rock album. Not unlike many young bands, however, Chariot presents with some filler, which by no means overshadows the quality to the better songs gracing Step Into Light.
Final verdict: A lot to like from a talented young band (again) equates to 75%
Summary
Give credit to Roxx Records for re-issue each of the full-length cassette releases from Chariot on single Limited Edition CD. ‘Limited’ being the key word in that in being restricted to 500 copies I encourage picking up History Lesson… while still in print. Helping make the release such a quality work is both the refined re-mastering and professionally done and highly detailed mini booklet. Fans of eighties metal and hard rock would be well served to make History Lesson… a priority purchase.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing (Tell The World): “Constant Confusion” (3:34), “Don’t Forget The Love (3:18), “I Can See” (3:19), “One More For Heaven” (3:15), “On And On” (5:40), “Look” (4:09), “Survive” (4:31), “Go Tell The World” (4:15), “For You” (3:45)
Track Listing (Step Into Light): “Step Into Light” (4:01), “Wise Eyes” (3:20), “Voice In The Wind” (5:08), “2000” (3:43), “Nothing’s Changed” (3:54), “Reflections” (3:03), “Know For Sure” (4:10), “Truth” (4:51)
Musicians
Paul Aviles - Lead Vocals
Louis Filardo - Guitars
Jim Poppodeas - Bass
Bruce Fleming - Drums
