| The Beast Is Back | ||
|---|---|---|
 Original Megaforce Records cover. | ||
| Studio album by Blue Cheer | ||
| Released | June 12 1984 | |
| Recorded | 1984 at Music America Studios in Rochester, New York | |
| Genre | Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Blues Rock | |
| Length | 37:14 | |
| Label | Megaforce Records | |
| Producer | Carl Canedy, Paul Curcio, Jon Zazula | |
| Blue Cheer chronology | ||
| Oh! Pleasant Hope (1971) |
The Beast Is Back (1984) |
Blitzkrieg Over Nüremberg (1989) |
The Beast Is Back (Also known as The Beast Is Back: The Megaforce Years) is the seventh studio album by California hard rock band Blue Cheer. The band's first album in thirteen years (And the first with drummer Paul Whaley since 1969's New! Improved!), The Beast Is Back is a return to the band's hard rock sound but with a more metal production.
Background[]
When Blue Cheer initially broke up in 1972, Peterson tried on several occasions to reboot the band on several occasions with different lineups but beyond rehearsals, the occasional tour and an album that was recorded but never released, nothing came of it. However in 1984 Tony Rainier would rejoin along with Paul Whaley (As Leigh Stephens had no interest in rejoining Blue Cheer) to record a "comeback" album.
The Beast Is Back was released on 12 June 1984. It would be issued by Caroline Records with a different cover and then reissued by Megaforce with an entirely different title. All three versions of the record feature the same track listing, a mix of re-recorded Blue Cheer classics and new songs.
Reviews range from average to positive, with AllMusic (Rating it 2 1/2 stars) referring to The Beast Is Back as "a modest achievement".[1] Future guitarist Duck MacDonald would mention that he wasn't surprised the band got signed to Megaforce with heavy metal's rise at the time in an article with Louder Sound.[2]
Tracklist[]
- 1. Nightmares (Dickie Peterson) (5:03)
- 2. Summertime Blues (Jerry Capehart, Eddie Cochran) (3:57)
- 3. Ride With Me (Tony Rainier) (5:25)
- 4. Girl Next Door (Rainier) (3:39)
- 5. Babylon (Peterson) (4:12)
- 6. Heart of The City (Dr. Richard Petticord) (4:19)
- 7. Out of Focus (Peterson) (3:43)
- 8. Parchment Parm (Mose Allison) (6:55)
Personnel[]
- Dickie Peterson - Bass, Vocals
- Paul Whaley - Drums
- Tony Rainier - Guitar
- Chris Bubacz - Engineer
- Jack Skinner - Mastering
- Carl Canedy - Producer
- Paul Curcio - Producer
- John Zazula - Executive Producer