Bitch - Be My Slave / Damnation Alley

(Metal Blade Records, 1982/83 - Issued together on one CD in 1989)

This is another one of those, "hey, it's $1.99, why not?" random used bin / internet sale purchases. And I have to wonder if Betsy Weiss had a happy childhood. If she had loving parents who supported her all the way in whatever she chose to do. Maybe they got her voice lessons, in the hope that she may someday become a famous singer or an actress on Broadway. Maybe they even bought her a pony at some point. And if all this is true, I wonder just how hard they disowned her when she decided to make her living throughout most of the 1980s by singing songs about how much she likes to be tied up and beaten in a band called "Bitch." But yeah, as you could have guessed, this is gimmicky early 80s L.A. nightclub bullshit. But as far as gimmicky early 80s L.A. nightclub bullshit goes, it's kind of catchy and really not all that bad, and certainly not as lacking in redeeming qualities as someone like The Cycle Sluts From Hell. Musically, it exists somewhere between Judas Priest and 70s punk rock, resulting in something that's not polished enough to be glam rock, but too slow, bluesy, and not-very-heavy to be thrash metal. Vocally, Betsy Bitch does her job well, I suppose, but at times, it feels like she'd be better at show tunes than heavy metal, if that makes any sense. This is actually two releases on one CD, but the 1982 Damnation Alley E.P. really doesn't sound any different whatsoever from what's on Be My Slave, although it does earn bonus points for being named after a movie where George Peppard battles giant, apocalyptic scorpions. Anyway, this is pretty decent overall, but you'll never want to admit to anyone that you ever even listened to it all the way through, much less bought a copy, even for $1.99. Oh god, what have I done...

Track Listing:

(1-10: Be My Slave)
1. Right From the Start
2. Be My Slave
3. Leatherbound
4. Riding in Thunder
5. Save You From the World
6. Heavy Metal Breakdown
7. Gimme a Kiss
8. In Heat
9. Make it Real (Make it Rock)
10. World War III
(11-15: Damnation Alley)
11. Saturdays
12. Never Come Home
13. Damnation Alley
14. He's Gone
15. Live for the Whip