Review by Karl for Commander - The High 'n' Mighty (1987)

Never Fade Away

California's Commander ended up being a relatively brief affair. Gathered in 1985, the US power metallers decided to pull the plug just four years later, leaving behind a single full-length labeled “The High n' Mighty.” Failing to achieve any semblance of commercial success whatsoever in the thrash-dominated landscape of the late 80s, the album spearheaded the band's descent into obscurity and remains the only concrete outcome of its activity, save for a spot on the “Metal Massacre VII” compilation. “The High n' Mighty” happens to be quite a significant record for me personally. I stumbled upon it as a single-digit-year-old whelp after purchasing one of the “mp3 metal collection” discs (anybody remember those?). Since it was one of the earlier “lesser-known” bands I discovered, Commander was partly responsible for introducing me to the idea of looking beyond the big names—a thought that sparked a lifelong passion for the metal underground.

The neuronal machinery of the young, impressionable brain of mine was utterly reorganized upon hearing the guitar solo of the opening number, “Knights of the Round Table”. I would not have discovered the feats of Maestro Malmsteen until years later, and a strong allergic reaction to the more straightforward hard rock style I contracted at birth made it impossible for me to appreciate most of the classic shredders. Thus, the hyper-melodic, classical-hinted style of Commander's axeman Dave Macias was a complete novelty for me back then. Around the same time, I found out about a great guitar hero of mine, Andy LaRocque, and they both ended up playing a big part in my exposure to a whole new array of possibilities when it comes to what can be achieved with the instrument. Obviously, over the years, it turned out that Dave's way of playing wasn't all that uncommon or innovative. Nonetheless, it remains fucking delightful to listen to and stands out as the strongest asset of the record at hand, with moments of lead guitar brilliance aplenty throughout the runtime. The opener's qualities don't end here for me, however. I find the track to possess a rare and highly sought-after trait in the particularly high load of uplifting energy, with the potential to help you power through some really tough chores. For example, I would reach for “Knights” regularly on the long study nights in college, and it proved itself to be both more effective and a healthier stimulant than the trusty Jägermeister mit Red Bull. Admittedly, the track is quite heavy on the cheese department as far as the album goes, and I would even go so far as to suggest that at times it approaches straight-up europower territory. That said, it finds itself sitting reasonably well within the outskirts of my acceptable glucose concentration regions.

“Knights” might be a sweet little darling of mine, but the main course on offering here is, without a doubt, the absolute behemoth of USPM glory in “Die by the Sword”. The song is a masterclass in tension-building, with the cyclic nature of the composition playing very well into the lyrical theme of fighting an inescapable fate. While Dave Macias has been the undeniable star of the show so far, I have a feeling that, recognizing where their most fruitful effort was, the other members decided to really up their game for this one. In effect, we get to experience no less than a few instances of truly cathartic musical beauty throughout the track's runtime, with the culminating point of the story featuring a particularly moving performance by the frontman, Jon Natisch. From that moment on, the gears are set for the last buildup and the gloriously satisfying finale. Introducing some needed variety and enhancing the song's character are the pleasantly clacky bass lines, courtesy of Ron Avila. The drummer Richard Mejia retains the thematically appropriate, steady pulse throughout most of the runtime, reaching out for his more advanced skills in the moments of increased intensity, thus contributing greatly to the emotional contrasts within the piece. My personal highlight, however, has to be the performance of the guest synth player, Mark Benson, with both the intro and the passage starting at around the five and a half minute mark having a very profound impact on me. That is due to the evocation of the retro-futuristic sound of the early digital age—a time when we as mankind were looking bravely forward in anticipation of the bright future to come, and a time I find myself deeply nostalgic for. The hints and motifs of this type are present throughout the album, amplified by the production job that graces Dave's leads with an unmistakable tone evoking the images of molten, industrial steel.

I believe at this point it is quite evident that I find the high points of “The High n' Mighty” to be much more than enjoyable, and on their basis alone, I would be quick to reach out for an award in the highest range of 4 to 5 stars. However, we obviously have to touch on the rest of the material and judge the album as a whole. Of note is the speedy number “Return of the Goths”, featuring a particularly beautiful solo by Dave. We also get a convincing package of tracks spawned by the band's admiration for the great Ronnie James Dio. “Kill the King” is a tightly executed cover that manages to manifest its relevancy by upping the heaviness of the well-regarded original. Furthermore, the inspirations are so evident in “Wizard”, that one could be forgiven for mistaking it for another Rainbow / Dio cover track, with especially Jon Natisch displaying tricks taken straight from his idol's playbook. The closer, “The Blade Shines On” is a good song as well, in a similar vein to “Return of the Goths”, though never quite reaching its heights. Unfortunately, I have to say that the record features a block of pretty unexciting material from the title track through “Terror”, where the songwriting takes a noticeable dip in quality. Furthermore, it is clear that Jon Natisch wasn't an experienced vocalist at the time of the recording. His lines are weirdly laid out at times, and occasionally he struggles to stay on-key. His passion and talent cannot be denied, but the lesser quality of the aforementioned three tracks makes it a bit harder to ignore the odd inadequacy. All in all, they do tempt me to reach for the skip button and represent an obstacle to enjoying the record in its full running time.

I find it regretful, that Commander ended up dissolving so early into their career, never fully realizing their vision of bombastic heavy metal. I believe they had the potential to spawn at least a few more beautiful spells and develop a minor cult following they deserved. Over the years, I would scan the Internet from time to time in anticipation of a proper re-release on CD (that it still hasn't manifested itself is but a travesty) or an unlikely reunion. Thus, I was deeply saddened to hear about Jon Natisch's untimely passing in 2012. “The High n' Mighty” might not be an eternal classic when looked at as the whole package, but nonetheless, its high points remain among my all-time favorites within the subgenre. If you are attracted to USPM style in any capacity whatsoever, and especially if you consider yourself a connoisseur of flashy, melodic guitar leads, I would highly recommend you check out at least the highlight tracks outlined below.

For fans of: Dio, King Diamond & Y.J. Malmsteen's Rising Force

Highlight tracks: Knights of the Round Table, Return of the Goths & Die by the Sword