Riot V – Live In Japan 2018

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There was a time that to record a live album in Japan was the ultimate thing for a Metal band. Back then, Speed and Power Metal were especially appreciated by Japanese fans. Maybe because of the classical music influences or maybe because of the more melodic grip those bands imposed to their music. I really don’t know, but it’s a fact that European Power Metal bands got a larger slice of the market there. Live albums were also very well appreciated back then. The list of the combination alive album plus Japan is enormeous.

As we all know, things seem to be back and forth in music, so it’s no surprise to receive an album as Riot V’s “Live in Japan” and as a double CD. “Live in Japan” tells the Power Metal at its best tale. Believe it or not, there are incredible 23 tracks in “Live in Japan.” Riot V are a band with history and you all know I love bands with history. Riot V are simply the unsung hero Riot, a band with more than forty years of career that have never received all the recognition they deserve due to all kinds of problems. Life seems to be pretty unfair sometimes, and for sure it was for Riot as they were one fo the pioneers of Power Metal, or at least Speed Metal. They made up some reputation, I have to say, but it wasn’t enough. Truth is, Riot have never achieved everything they deserved though they had recorded pretty good albums. The problem is that the band has changed their soul pretty much, and I guess this was too much for fans. But whatever.

“Live in Japan” captures all the greatness of the band through time. Well, no debut band is able to record an album with 23 tracks, can they? I guess not. I takes real guts to do so. Riot have them so far because they refused to desist, they refused to give in. That’s the spirit of Metal. That’s what makes us alive. “Live in Japan” is a honest and string picture of Riot’s forty-year career that only the pure souls of Metal could make. It’s a rare oportunity to listen to songs as “Thundersteel,” “Metal Warrior,” “Run for Your Lives,” and others played alive which is always best.

Riot V “Live in Japan” was released on August 02nd via AFM Records.

Track Listing:

  1. Armor of Light
  2. Ride Hard Live Free
  3. On Your Knees
  4. Metal Soldiers
  5. Fall from the Sky
  6. Wings Are for Angels
  7. Land of the Rising Sun
  8. Take Me Back
  9. Messiah
  10. Angel Eyes
  11. Metal Warrior
  12. Thundersteel
  13. Fight Or Fall
  14. Sign of the Crimson Storm
  15. Flight of the Warrior
  16. On Wings of Eagles
  17. Johnny’s Back
  18. Bloodstreets
  19. Run for Your Life
  20. Buried Alive
  21. Road Racin’
  22. Swords and Tequila
  23. Warrior

Watch “Thundersteel” official alive video here: