By Jim Rowland

Artwork for Lemmy Sessions by WarfareFollowing in the fine tradition of Motörhead, Venom and Tank, Warfare were another punk-infused three-piece metal powerhouse who took no prisoners with their raw, riotous and brutal approach. When it came time to follow up their incendiary debut ‘Pure Filth’, none other than Lemmy Kilmister was drafted in for production duties on what became 1985’s ‘Metal Anarchy’ album. Here, for the first time on vinyl, is the recently discovered raw Lemmy ‘rough mix’ of that album, appropriately dubbed the ‘Lemmy Sessions’.

These recordings come from the original cassette, lying dormant for the best part of 40 years, containing the songs which were put down through the desk and given to drummer and vocalist Evo for approval by Lemmy before he twiddled all the knobs and produced what became ‘Metal Anarchy’. And there’s a fair shout for the argument that in this raw state, this is how the album should have sounded.

The likes of ‘Psycho Express’, ‘Death Vigilance’, ‘Military Shadow’ and the potent ‘Metal Anarchy’ (featuring Motörhead’s Wurzel) are fast and furious slices of pure Warfare filth, with ‘Electric Mayhem’ and ‘Disgrace’ following similar lines with a hint of the influence of the UK82 punk of GBH or Discharge to them. ‘Living For The Last Days’ and ‘Warfare’ have a slightly slower, grinding quality to them, with the latter not a million miles away from early Slayer, whilst the album closer ‘Wrecked Society’ is epic by Warfare’s standards, clocking in at well over six minutes and a great example of a pure punk/metal hybrid.

This edition comes with a cracking bonus four-track EP containing a killer version of Aussie punk legends The Saints’ ‘Do The Robot’ with three other tracks, all as potent and punky, featuring guest appearances at various points from Motorhead’s Fast Eddie Clarke, Tom Angelripper (Sodom), Cronos (Venom) and Fred Purser (Penetration/Tygers of Pan Tang).

Released on deluxe collector’s edition metallic gold vinyl with the bonus four-track ‘Robot’ 12″ on black vinyl, this is fast, filthy and furious fun, essential for fans of old, and as good a place to start as any for the uninitiated.