Virgin Steele is a mainstay on the underground American power metal scene, and I have to put my credibility card on the line in admitting that I’ve never taken the time to sit down and listen to any of their albums. Before you call the Poser Police and issue a fraud alert, I took the chance to rectify this grievous error when THENWOTHM Editor Rob gave me the chance to review new reissues of their first two albums that have been remixed and remastered. I jumped at the chance to clean up a heavy metal blind spot and become familiar with this New York institution. Up first is their self-titled debut record, which has been named Virgin Steele I in this re-release.

1. Minuet In G Minor is a bombastic, atmospheric intro that leads us into the true opener…

2. Danger Zone starts off with some simple, but effective riffing. The first strong point of this mix that’s notable to a new listener is how prominent the bass is. It’s a very welcome element that is often buried in metal mixes and when you think about it, that’s been an issue since the ’80s! The soaring vocals of frontman David DeFeis are outrageous but controlled enough to add fun and urgency to this solid opener.

3. American Girl is a fun track from the jump. This is a very straightforward rock ‘n’ roll song that hearkens back to the genre’s early and more covertly lascivious days. This is cheerful and unabashed Van Halen worship that someone like me has a hard time saying no to.

4. Dead End Kids is the kind of brash street rock that reminds me of Ace Frehley‘s best solo work. Sometimes you just need a carefree song about running wild in the streets! The percussion stands out in this track and is given plenty of spots to shine.

5. Drive On Thru lets you know who is in charge immediately by opening up with some cowbell. If you have a fever, Virgin Steele is writing the prescription! There’s a lot more playing going on from the bass, drums, and guitars here, with axeman Jack Starr ably taking every opportunity to show off his sizeable chops.

6. Lothlorien is a nice instrumental piece with deft piano playing accompanied by light orchestration to create an ethereal passage to the next track…

7. Still In Love With You opens with some soulful vocals and clean guitars to slow things down a little bit. This is most definitely a power ballad but the band doesn’t let up and the playing still manages to be urgent and aggressive. The lyrics are bordering on the maudlin but the performances overcome any shortcomings in that department.

8. Children Of The Storm picks things back up nicely with what is the most “metal” track on the album so far. You can absolutely hear the Rainbow influence here and it’s a fitting salute to Lord Blackmore. The three-way showdown between the bass, guitar, and keyboard is a very nice touch that will satisfy any hardcore music nerd.

9. Pictures On You kicks things off with some pounding drums leading into a shredfest. This is another track that will remind you of Van Halen when you hear the lyrics and Jack Starr continues to unleash his molten licks. The strong performances anchor what is an otherwise solid track that recalls a simpler age of rock and metal.

10. Pulverizer makes good on the promise of its title and immediately pulls you into a cacophony of controlled noise. This track is just two minutes of Jack Starr shredding, and I do not mind one bit.

11. Living In Sin rolls right back into the rocking with a bouncing bassline and a more straightforward approach. This track brought me back to the ballsy biker vibe of the first Manowar album. Another simple rocker is a nice way to take us to the final track of the album…

12. Virgin Steele fades in with ethereal vocals leading into an epic metal track featuring more orchestral elements. Every player gets a chance to go absolutely nuts in this as you would hope for. The drums are strong, the bass is thumping, and the guitars get plenty of face-melting opportunities. The keyboards add a nice dimension to everything to make it feel bigger than every other track that has come before. It’s a great closer and a strong self-titled track as well!

Wrapping Up:

As a completely new listener to Virgin Steele, I was very pleasantly surprised with what I heard on this self-titled debut. The band wears their influences on their sleeves, and it all comes together in a fresh, vibrant, and lively package. It feels a bit disjointed at times, but this feels like a fun entry point for someone wanting to get started on adding some Virgin Steele to the catalog. It rides the line between proto-metal, old-school rock ‘n’ roll, and epic, orchestral power metal. It leaves me eager to hear more and see how they develop this sound on their sophomore effort. I don’t know how purists who love the sound and track order of the original record will feel about the mix and mastering here, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is great fun and I can’t wait to hear what’s next. Recommended!

THENWOTHM SCORE: 7/10