| Musical Style: Heavy Metal | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Independent / Roxx Records | Country Of Origin: UK |
| Year Released: 1993 / 2023 | Artist Website: Stairway |
| Tracks: 17 | Rating: 80% |
| Running Time: |
Independently released in 1993, debut full length No Rest: No Mercy from Staffordshire, England based Stairway shares its underpinnings with New Wave of British Heavy Metal. No small measure of this attributes to front man Graeme Leslie, whom delivers the classic metal goods with a smooth, mid-ranged style adept at reaching down for some apt grit and gravel or extending into becoming high-end falsetto territory. Not unlike many NWOBHM contemporaries, Stairway employs a twin guitar attack, with Leslie laying down the towering rhythm guitar and Peter Jennens the shredding guitar leads. Finally, the group stays true to the fantasy themes often inherent to NWOBHM, albeit not lyrically but rather in terms of the Rodney Matthews cover art, a Stairway staple.
Stairway actually traces its recording history to 1991, when it placed the tracks “Anybody There” and “Walk Away” on the White Metal Warriors compilation. Both songs in addition to live version to three others appear as bonus tracks on the June of 2023 Roxx Records 30th Anniversary Edition CD and vinyl (limited to 200 copies) re-issue to No Rest: No Mercy. Lending further value is the Roxx Records respective re-mastering and graphics design team of Rob Colwell (Bombworks Sound) and Scott Waters (No Life Til Metal Graphics).
Opener “Battle Of Heaven” lends an epic power metal flair. It fades in to ominous keyboards and acoustic guitar, not triggering until stately rhythm guitar and booming low end combine for the exalted tone to command maneuvering ahead. The intensely done lead guitar aligns with the august setting. Lyric snippet:
Come quick! The death bell is ringing
And sounding out defeat
Gird on Armour of Heaven
The reaper has been beat
May Angels of Heaven come quickly
And finish off the fight
And open the flood-gates of Heaven
To bring eternal light
“Spirit Of Guilt” ensues as another top of the line cut. It features one of the most catchy guitar riffs you will hear - immediate, engaging and certain to draw in at once - and combines with a darker veneer that brings to mind early Saint. If I were to compile a list of the top songs from 1993, “Spirit Of Guilt” would place within the top five.
Fast-paced numbers are fundamental to NWOBHM, and Stairway delivers such on the subsequent trio of barnburners in the three to three and half-minute range. First “Bondage” manifests speed metal momentum found in Andrew Edwards’ non-stop double bass and a hyper accelerated refrain, and second “Meet The Maker” a bluesy guitar feel in tempering impetus (even if slightly) but elevating heaviness to bring to mind old school bride. Third “Fly With The Spirit” returns to speed territory with added double kick drum and unrelenting hooks. Peter Jennens is all over the three with his mercurial licks and chops.
Aptly entitled sixth cut “Sweetest Song” could not contrast more from the preceding three with its gentle ballad based approach. It follows a formula akin to Kansas’ “Dust In The Wind” as acoustic sentiments align with a lushly done (almost commercial) melody. Leslie does a fine job accenting the softer side to his vocal abilities. Lyric snippet:
Let me tell you of the day
When the Man of Sorrows came my way
I'll tell you of the love I've got
And hope that you'll hear what I say
All of myself, I'll show you today
Tell of my wand'rings and going astray
Sweetest song
Back to traditional metal with “The Great Whore Of Babylon”, a complex four and half minutes of intricate time signatures to see Stairway unveil its technical acumen with manifold riffing, sweeping refrain and galloping flair throughout. Melody, however, maintains a priority in that similar to the better No Rest: No Mercy material the song refuses to depart with repeat play. At end of the track listing is a stately acoustic version to the song entitled “The Great Whore Of Babylon (Revisited)”. Lyric snippet:
Don't get taken in by what is served
The table's laid with wine of bitter herb
Yield not to him with blasphemy
Alleluia to the Trinity!
Now this way is shooting through for thee
Showing you the things you need to see
The Judgment Day will come amongst us all
I hope and pray my friend, you'll heed the call!
Perhaps it is due to similarity between the open-air guitars that covers the opening seconds, but “Walk Away” reminds me at once of classic Saint cut “Accuser” (off Too Late For Living from 1988). It proves equally pensive and foreboding, intrinsic to unequivocal overtures and heavy hitting backbone reinforced by echoing backing vocals. This one is no-nonsense as it gets.
The same applies to follow up piece “Black Be The Night”. As its namesake implies, it proves a darker cut with curtly done rhythm guitar momentum for the heavyset verse sections and more melodic but somber tinctures driving the evenly flowing refrain. The enhancements from the Colwell re-mastering resonate in terms of the finely honed production. Lyric snippet:
Seek thou the silent dream
That Truth in it's Majesty proves,
And celebrates the light of the Cross,
Behold! The new born child,
And taste thee the wind of His blood:
For what is now the end, has begun!
Black be the night,
As the cauldron boys with thought of desire,
And moonlight leads the way to the Cross.
I mark the madness well,
For evil has blackened his face,
And the war of redemption now has begun.
“Keep The Fires Burning” allows a commercial flair while upholding the Stairway traditional metal ways. With layered vocal melodies to start, the song takes an uplifting tone found in Leslie’s heartfelt vocals and accessible hooks of an inspiring form serving to elevate the draw you in appeal. Hope I am not out of line to suggest comparison to the heavier material from Stryper.
A return to up-tempo territory with “Souls Of Zion”, another expeditions piece with unremitting impetus to approach speed metal and leads of a blinding variety. Several soaring falsettos further bolster the high-energy scene. No doubt, Stairway is at home when pushing its aggressive boundaries. Lyric snippet:
I see the light is shining down, for me to see
More than I ever knew, and more than I could be.
I hold my candle forth to light the darkened way,
And prey the Master comes to bless the dying day.
I see the Souls of Zion, surfaces, as I lie.
And tread the book of Truth that floats before my eyes;
I pray that Heaven's light will open ev'ry door,
And break the seal of death that persecutes me more.
Ev'ry night you walk my way,
I believe I will fled a place - to stay.
I find the two White Metal Warriors bonus tracks essential. First is a previously unreleased song entitled “Anybody There”, move speed based trending with decisive tempo, hyperactive drumming and catchy riffs, and second ‘another take’ to “Walk Away”, staying true to the original Saint like feel and execution. Production to each is fine, although slightly bass-heavy compared with that on No Rest: No Mercy (observation and not critique).
I gloss over live bonus versions to “Meet The Maker”, “Fly With The Spirit” and “Walk Away”. Yes, the Stairway live performance is exemplary and sound is quite clean for what I am guessing are soundboard style recordings, but I am also not a fan of live albums, so it is a matter of personal taste. I might have taken to any potential live material if previously unrecorded/unreleased songs had been included instead. Otherwise, I find the three to unnecessarily clutter the track listing.
No Rest: No Mercy adds up to a very fine debut from Stairway. The traditional metal contained therein helped launch a career that lasts to this day and includes such renowned albums as On Hallowed Ground (2002), The Other Side Of Midnight (2006), Interregnum (2010), Power & Glory (2016) and others. Band performance plays a significant role accordingly with versatile vocalist Graeme Leslie standing out alongside impressive lead guitarist Peter Jennens. Solid support reveals in the rhythm section of drummer Andrew Edwards and bassist Robert Jennens. If a fan of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (Saint and/or Judas Priest and all things in between), the Roxx Records re-issue to No Rest: No Mercy is a can’t miss proposition.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing (No Rest: No Mercy): “Battle Of Heaven” (4:57), “Spirit Of Guilt” (3:57), “Bondage” (2:50), “Meet The Maker” (3:35), “Fly With The Spirit” (3:20), “Sweetest Song” (3:40), “The Great Whore Of Babylon” (4:27), “Walk Away” (4:13), “Black Be The Night” (4:55), “Keep The Fires Burning” (3:49), “Souls Of Zion” (3:23), “The Great Whore Of Babylon (Revisited)” (3:13)
Track Listing (bonus tracks) “Anybody There” (3:16), “Walk Away” (4:34), “Meet The Maker” (live) (3:13), “Fly With The Spirit” (live) (4:01), Walk Away” (live) (4:46)
Musicians
Graeme Leslie - Lead Vocals & Rhythm Guitar
Peter Jennens - Lead Guitar
Robert Jennens - Bass Guitar
Andrew Edwards - Drums
