Survivors Kentucky

Survivors

Samson

Sanctuary Records, 1979

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 04/07/2000

When one talks of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, severalband names immediately come to mind: Def Leppard, Iron Maiden,Saxon, Venom - and, thanks to bands like Metallica, otherwiseobscure groups like Diamond Head.

But one group that almost got left behind in the limelight wasSamson, a band that otherwise is best known for singer BruceDickinson (who left them to join Iron Maiden). Oh, sure,occasionally you might have stumbled across one of their albums inthe used record store, but chances are unless you grew up withtheir music providing the soundtrack of your life, you haven't paidthem much attention.

Samson's backcatalog from when Dickinson (then known as "BruceBruce" - though I'll stick with his real name in this review) wasin the band have been re-released, though the group's 1979 debuteffort Survivors is a little bit disappointing. Guitarist/vocalistPaul Samson and crew knew they were on the cusp of something big -they just didn't quite know what to do with the music at thattime.

If you pick this disc up expecting to hear Dickinson's bansheewails, you're going to be disappointed. Only occasionally did Ihear anything that sounded remotely like Dickinson, and then theywere only backup vocals. Fact is, according to All-Music Guide, Dickinsonactually was not involved in these recordings, even though his nameis on the credits. (So much for truth in advertising.) Make nomistake, at this time in the band's history, Samson himself was thestar of the show - well, maybe a little of the spotlight also fellon drummer "Thunderstick," who was known for appearing in publicwearing a rapists' mask.