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This album by Halloween was recorded back in 1986 but was not released until sometime in 1997-98, for lack of a record deal at the time. This CD on Molten Metal USA includes a 12th "untitled" bonus track - I wouldn't mind knowing the name since it's one of the catchiest song on the album, and this is saying a lot since as a whole the album is pretty catchy, especially when it comes to the vocal lines; the vocals are really put forward in the mix with the music not too far behind. A weird mix that takes a bit of getting used to, but the singer being quite good helps stomach the whole thing.

Unsurprisingly, the lyrical themes hover around Halloween - horror mostly, not without reminding me of some Iron Cross material. The bands blends some hypercharged NWOBHM with some Maiden and some flirting with speed metal, with quite a bit of emphasis on melody, all of this without falling into the "soft" or "gay" (whatever you want to call it) category. Most of the more quiet moments, like in the ballad "No Place", have quite the metallic riffage in the background. Add to this the occasional horror sound effects - limited and not overdone, just enough to put the listener in the right frame of mind.

Halloween's "horror metal" is essentially classic heavy metal with horror lyrical themes which is well communicated through audio recording but comes in full force during their live set. They're not exactly the most active band nowadays, so your best bet is to put on the headphones, close your eyes, and use your imagination - the music and lyrics will do the rest. ;) Good stuff.