THE FURY

So continues the excavation of obscure metal and punk acts for retroactive posterity. In this case, the rediscovery comes with a loosely-tied big industry name.

THE FURY is noteworthy by means of direct association with guitarist/vocalist S.A. Adams and indirect association with DREAM THEATER/AVENGED SEVENFOLD drummer Mike Portnoy, who played with Adams in 1985. The pair's doings were collected on S.A. Adams' 2010 "Unearthed" album, which includes early versions of THE FURY's "Sex", "High Plains Drifter" and "Degeneration".

THE FURY officially formed in 1987, featuring Adams alongside bassist Harry "Amstel Fuhr" Rawlings and drummer Rocky "D" Quitoriano as of their 1992 full-length debut album, "Sex". Having corralled "Sex" and "High Plains Drifter" for this album and "Degeneration" from a prior EP, "Reflections of the Wasted Youth", Adams appears to be seizing the moment while there's interest by reissuing "Sex" on Italy's Minotauro Records.

Forgetting the Portnoy connection a moment, THE FURY was a pretty solid trio with plenty of power metal, thrash and punk influences. THE FURY could hit you hard and fast with zippy cuts like "The Institution", "The Outcast", "Sunrise (The Awakening)" and "Mannequin Boys". They could make you headbang with a mid-tempo, JUDAS PRIEST bang of "High Plains Drifter". They had plenty of love for MOTÖRHEAD (especially fashionable in the late Eighties/early Nineties metal underground),evidenced by "Dance of the Sun" and Harry Rawlings' rumbling bass intro and bridge lines behind the punk and blues-rockin' swing of "Little Miss Metal". Finally, "Jackque-Hammer" rings of "Too Fast For Love"-era MÖTLEY CRÜE.

This reissue of "Sex" comes with the "Reflections of the Wasted Youth" demo and "Live '90" demo, which essentially offers three different versions of "The Institution" and "Dance of the Sun" in this package, plus two takes of "Sex". The bonus comes with the never-before-released "Animals" as part of the "Reflections of the Wasted Youth" demo. While the crusty "Degeneration" is a cool ride, "Animals" is a true bonus as it rips away RAVEN-style with plenty of echo to the guitar buzzing and snare wailing.

THE FURY's only real fault back in the day appears to be coming to a table with little reservations for metalheads, The sex pants on the title track are juvenile (and frankly disturbing in the beginning) while the recorded live venue jibing (to the tune of "suck my dick") preceding "Jackque-Hammer" is hilarious. THE FURY may not have brought anything original with "Sex", but they did play things to the hilt and thus they're worthy of a revisit. "Amstel Fuhr's" funk 'n crunk bass work alone, crikey…