The Privilege of Power

Their mascot relegated to a cameo position on a TV screen on the cover, Riot’s seventh seal welcomed the nineties with a shockingly forward-looking collection of songs, both in terms of content and sound. While the lyrics are the same brand of socially conscious as every other metal band of the period (rich people suck, drugs and prostitution are bad), it’s a nice change of pace. The music itself is an even wilder departure. Power metal jams like “Metal Soldiers” and “Storming the Gates of Hell” sound like the titles imply, but the addition of hip-hop style cut ‘n’ paste samples and a horn section make tunes like “Killer” and “On Your Knees” unusual beasts. The ballads bore, and things don’t always cohere (including the horn section), but it’s one of the more adventurous efforts for a legacy act for sure.