UMUR "Vicious Rumors" is the eponymously titled 3rd full-length studio album by US, California based power/heavy metal act Vicious Rumors. The album was released through Atlantic Records in February 1989. It´s the successor to "Digital Dictator" from 1988 and features the exact same five-piece lineup who recorded the predecessor.

Stylistically Vicious Rumors continue to play the US power/heavy metal style of their first two albums and the material on this album are a natural successor to the music on especially "Digital Dictator (1988)". It´s hard rocking pounding heavy metal with the occasional thrashy edge and a lead vocalist in Carl Albert who are among the elite contemporary singers on the scene. The man is an absolute joy to listen to as he sings, screams, and snarls his way through the album. He has both the voice and the skills to pull off all vocal styles he tries his hand at. He is backed by a very well playing band too (I´d especially mention the really strong lead guitar playing), and the musicianship is overall on a very high level.

While most tracks on the album are hard rocking heavy metal tracks (some mid-paced and heavy and some a little faster), there is especially one track featured on the album which is more dynamic and adventurous. "Ship of Fools" features a slightly progressive edge to it (and a strong Queensrÿche influence), and is generally quite the interesting track. The opening trio of tracks "Don´t Wait For Me", "World Church", and "On The Edge" are also strong material too, and I´d also mention the fast-paced "Hellraiser" and the heavy "Down to The Temple" as standout tracks. It´s when the band cater to a more commercial audience on tracks like "Can You Hear It" and "Axe And Smash", that they are least interesting. All material on the 10 track, 39:44 minutes long album are well written and memorable though.

The album features a powerful, sharp, and detailed sounding production. It´s reverb laden which is a time-typical feature, but it´s well sounding and brings out the best in the material. Upon conclusion "Vicious Rumors" is a strong release by Vicious Rumors despite a couple of less remarkable tracks, but they are outweighted by the remarkable ones. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

Warthur Vicious Rumors' self-titled album was their first major label release, and as such finds them polishing up their style and steering it at points in a more accessible direction than the preceding album. It's a solid Iron Maiden/Judas Priest-influenced effort, though some of the songs outlast their welcome a bit (World Church gets rather repetitive) and the second side unfortunately seems a bit thin. In fact, I have to wonder whether deadlines imposed by the label or some other disruption caused them to hurry this album, with the more polished and accomplished songs clustered together on side A and side B being thrown together quickly to make the product.

Nightfly Although not releasing their first album until 1986 Vicious Rumors had been kicking around the San Francisco bay area since the turn of the decade, an area that has become synonymous with the eighties thrash metal movement spawning the likes of Metallica, Exodus and Testament. Vicious Rumors were an altogether different beast however, playing more traditional power metal in the vein of Judas Priest.

By the release of their eponymous third album Vicious Rumors had honed their art to near perfection, releasing the finest album of their career. The band are all excellent players with a strong dual guitar team of Geoff Thorpe and Mark McGee. In Carl Albert (sadly now deceased) they had a fine singer in the classic histrionic metal tradition and a solid as a rock rhythm section with drummer Larry Howe and bassist Dave Starr.

The album is a mixture of slower metal rockers and high speed, though never reaching thrash level power metal all infused with an ear on melody. What makes this their greatest album is the sheer consistency of the material with no weak tracks in sight. Album opener Don’t Wait For Me, whilst not the fastest song is a brutal slab of melodic metal with two great guitar solos and while it doesn’t get any better than this the other up tempo tracks like On The Edge, Thrill Of The Hunt and Hellraiser are its equal. There’s much to enjoy in the slower tracks though. Ship Of Fools and Down To The Temple being particular highlights.

Vicious Rumors would go on to release more fine albums, not least their most recent effort Warball, but for sheer consistency it doesn’t get any better than this.