Run to the Light (Expanded Edition)

Trouble is one of those bands I've been hearing about for a very long time but never got around to checking out. This 1987 album is being reissued and remastered, with a cover of "Come Together" and three demo versions of album tracks.

While I've always heard this was a doom metal band, this comes off more as doomy heavy metal as it actually rocks too much to be just plain doom metal. There's a very noticeable '70s-style heavy rock vibe throughout and that's what I like the most about the album. The singer could have sung on some of those classic albums from back in the day and felt like he belonged right there. His vocal lines are even more memorable than the music, some of which is quite memorable already; it's hard to get some of this stuff out of your head even after only one or two listens. I can't say I remember any album from that period sounding quite like this, so Trouble had their own thing going back in the day. I wouldn't say that the cover and demo versions are essential. In fact, the demos could have been left off and the reissue would have been better off for it. It's not bad stuff, just not necessary. The cover of "Come Together" will trigger many people's memories, but it kind of fits Trouble's style on this album.