January 2025 - Feature Release - The Guardians Edition

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that we’ll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

This month’s feature release for The Guardians has been nominated by myself in Xephyr's absence. It's the 1982 self-titled E.P. (also known as "Breakout") from Melbourne heavy metallers Taipan, a short four-song release that marks the earliest foray into genuine metal territory for my beloved homeland ain my opinion. Don't let the cheap cover artwork fool you. If you can't get enough of the NWOBHM then this one may be right up your alley guys. Give it a crack!

https://metal.academy/releases/43847

FUCK, YEAH!!

Here's my review:

The NWOBHM produced some exciting and exilharating releases for the time, but it also produced it's fair share of utter dross too. Released in 1982, this four-track EP from Melbourne's Taipan showcases what would certainly have been considered one of the better releases from the NWOBHM - if they had been from Melbourne in Derbyshire that is, rather than Victoria. Anyway, fuck geography, because this is a terrific little release that brings Diamond Head's Lightning To the Nations springing to mind.

The riffs have that hard-rock-influenced NWOBHM catchiness that the best of the UK scene had to offer with a driving, propulsive quality that would guarantee maximum headbanging action. The riff of opener "Breakout" certainly wouldn't have sounded out of place on Diamiond Head's classic debut, such is it's quality. The guitar solos are supercharged affairs, reminding me quite a lot of Phil Campbell's Motörhead leadwork, coming thick and fast, just like the doctor ordered and are my favourite part of the EP. Most of the vocals are performed by guitarist Dave Zerafa who, has some variety in his delivery. On "Breakout" he has a punky, aggressive edge to his voice similar to Iron Maiden's Paul Di'Anno, yet on second track, "Lady" he sounds much more like Diamond Head's Sean Harris, with even hints at Robert Plant-esque seductive tones. The vocals on final track, "The Cellar" are handled by bassist Emilio Sarpa, however, who has a similar style to Zerafa, although I think D.Z. is technically the better singer.

As a metalhead who was well immersed in the NWOBHM at the time, I can confidently say that had these guys been supporting Maiden or Saxon back in '81 down at my local venue then they would have been lapped up by me and my mates, that's for damned sure. The riffs, the solos, even the production, scream a band that just "get" what was going on in the metal new wave of the 1980's and has an authenticity that many retro acts have tried unsuccessfully to emulate. This is indeed an early 80's metal hidden gem and is right up there with some of the best shit hitting the streets way back when. For fans of Diamond Head, Blitzkrieg and Saxon.

4.5/5

Here's my review:

There are many theories about where metal music originated from in my home country of Australia & there are a generally a few different names that tend to pop up in such discussions, from Ash to Buffalo, to Taste & Bengal Tigers. But the truth is that none of those artists managed to produce a significant enough release that consistently tapped into the metal sounds we’d been hearing from other parts of the world in the first decade of the heavy metal genres existence. There were certainly of few genuine metal songs included here & there (Hell, Ash’s 1971 “Midnight Witch/Warrant” single was basically stoner metal) but there wasn’t a full album or E.P. full of music that I would class as being predominantly metal. That is, until a Melbourne four-piece by the name of Storm appeared on the scene in 1981 with their live shows doing enough to convince renowned Melbourne record store Central Station Records & Tapes to release a four-song E.P. on 7” vinyl. It would be here that we’d find the earliest of the true metal releases to come out of this country.

Storm would enter York Street Studios in Melbourne late in the summer of 1981 to record the self-produced E.P. with Central Station Records owner Jo Palumbo overseeing the project as executive producer. During the sessions, it would be discovered that there could potentially be legal implications in continuing on under the Storm moniker which had been copyrighted overseas so the band elected to change their name to Taipan, a highly venomous & distinctly Australian snake that seemed entirely suitable for the band’s incisive sound. There are conflicting reports about when the E.P. would eventually be released though, some claiming that it was later in 1981 & others suggesting that the band would have to wait more than a full year until June 1982 to see the fruit of their efforts hitting the shelves. I tend to believe it was the latter but it’s of little consequence in the grand scheme of Australian metal folklore as that still gave Taipan at least a year’s head-start on their competition.

The self-titled Taipan E.P. (or “Breakout” as it would be retitled for the 1984 Bullet Records 12” vinyl reissue) certainly sounds pretty rough & ready by modern standards, instead tapping into the DIY aesthetic that most of the British NWOBHM scene was built on. It’s quite noisy & unceremoniously announces itself as a raucous racket that’s chock full of live rock ‘n’ roll electricity & the energy of youth. All of the instruments can comfortably be made out though & you can easily picture the various band members rocking out on the sweat-soaked stage of a small, smoky suburban pub while listening to it. Like the majority of the NWOBHM that the band were no doubt indulging themselves in at the time, there’s a clear hard rock influence to Taipan’s sound although the regular use of chuggy, palm-muted bottom-string pedal notes & upbeat tempos should leave you with no doubt as to Taipan’s metal credentials. The influence of the first Iron Maiden album is undeniable, particularly the impact of it’s opening song “Prowler” which I’d be very surprised if Taipan didn’t cover prior to this release given the similarities to many of their riff structures. Guitarist Dave Zerafa’s vocals present themselves with a similar punky vibe to Maiden front man Paul Dianno, perhaps with more of the naïve, snot-nosed arrogance of Tygers of Pan Tang’s Jess Cox or Holocaust’s Gary Lettice. Zerafa & Chuck Vandenbelt’s guitar solos come more from the bluesy Motorhead camp though & are really effective, proving both exponents to possess a clear understanding of what made 70’s hard rock so exciting even if neither are as accomplished as many of their overseas peers.

The tracklisting is very consistent, particularly for a debut release, with all four songs awarding the listener with the sort of energy hit that might see a younger audience using it as a backdrop for all sorts of ungodly mischief. The driving basslines & rhythms play a strong role in that effect as they command a physical response. I can’t say that Taipan’s sound is particularly my thing given that my roots lie in the latter part of the decade when metal had already dropped all of its bluesy hard rock influence but it’s pretty much impossible not to identify the appeal in this material nonetheless. In saying that, I’m not sure that I can say that my life would have been any worse off for not ever having experienced Taipan which is perhaps the main reason why I couldn’t muster a higher score than the 3.5 stars I’ve dished out here. Of the four songs included, I’d suggest that the first songs from each side (i.e. “Breakout” & “Tired of You”) are probably the strongest but there’s not much between all of them to be honest. Closer “The Cellar” feels a little different to the other three tracks, partially because bassist Emilio Sarpa handles the vocals on that one but possibly more because it’s comfortably the most metal track of the four, dropping the bluesy hard rock influence & focusing purely on chunky down-picked metal riffs. You know what? It also sounds very similar to Metallica’s “Seek & Destroy” which I always felt had been written as a variation on some of the ideas presented in Judas Priest’s “Victim of Changes” & Diamond Head’s “Dead Reckoning” but are now wondering whether Dave, Lars & James might also have heard Taipan’s debut at some stage too. Admittedly “The Cellar” sounds very much like Diamond Head too though & I wouldn’t be surprised if there was an influence there.

Look, I’m not sure too many of you will find the “Taipan” E.P. to offer terribly much that you haven’t already heard but it’s certainly a fun listen that provides a rewarding look into the roots of the Aussie metal scene. It’s a shame that Taipan didn’t go on with things after it’s release given that their next release (1985’s “1770” E.P.) didn’t arrive until several years afterwards & strangely showed Taipan to have dropped their metal sound altogether in favour of a more sophisticated progressive rock one. They would, however, reform in 2007 when they’d return to their heavy metal roots & I believe are still applying their craft today. I’d encourage all of our The Guardians members to check the band’s debut effort out though, if only to enjoy fifteen minutes of the sort of beer-fuelled, hard rock-infused heavy metal shenanigans that would no doubt have Lemmy smiling over his whiskey glass.

For fans of Black Jack, Trilogy & early Iron Maiden.

3.5/5