Maniac [Expanded Edition]

Belgium's Acid followed up the NWOBHM-influenced speed metal ecstasy of their eponymous debut with, well, more of the same on their 1983 sophomore effort, Maniac, but that doesn't mean it was an exact carbon copy, nor that the group's decision to stick to its guns didn't work out pretty fabulously just the same (hey, repetition never hurt Motörhead). If anything, Maniac`s contents reined in some of its predecessor's rough performing edges and tightened up production standards enough to actually feign (gulp!) encroaching "maturity" -- particularly on sharply rendered numbers like "Max Overload" (built on a gliding, Ritchie Blackmore-inspired riff à la Rainbow's "Spotlight Kid"), "No Time" (probably the best ever Raven song not written by Raven), and the title track (think of Judas Priest gone feral). Speed freaks and cod-Satanists everywhere were still handsomely catered to as well, the first via memorable turbo-tunes like "Black Car," "America," and excellent closer "Bottom's Up," and the second with demonic psalms like "Lucifera" (another stab at establishing singer Kate de Lombaert's evil dominatrix persona) and "Prince of Hell and Fire" (an ultra-sinister night creeper). All in all, these familiar hallmarks seemed to be welcoming Acid fans back with open arms, and fans were only too happy to embrace the group right back. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia