Original Sin plied their trade from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s as yet another band in the original New Wave of British Heavy Metal days trying to make a name for themselves. Unfortunately for them it didn’t work. With a solitary, though well received, single they called time in 1985.
However the Obscure NWOBHM Releases label have somehow dug up various demos recorded by Original Sin back in the day and put out a fine CD of those demos, the single and a live track from their final show. As is the labels usual MO it’s a limited run of only 500 CDs so get in fast….!
Musically it’s top class NWOBHM-era with not a little variety and finesse. Sometimes a bit quirky, sometimes a bit melodic, sometimes a bit bluesy and towards then end there are definite leanings towards progressive metal.
The riffs are there aplenty cutting and slashing away. The guitar interplay is excellent. Add in a rock-solid rhythm section and fine vocals it’s quite a package and a pity that Original Sin went down back then as yet another band swept up in the NWOBHM era who had the talent without the breaks.
We have sixteen tracks here covering a number of studio demo sessions and that aforementioned live recording from their final show. It’s interesting to listen how they developed over those sessions from (arguably) a bit rough and ready to bringing in the progressive metal elements.
As a taster, have a listen to Warning:
Make a Stand and We All Make Mistakes have a quirky edge to them though punch away well and are quite catchy.
Demon and Vicious City are a pair of excellent harder-edged numbers featuring some fine guitar work.
Then as we move towards the more progressive side in the later sessions songs like Warning, The Shadow, Salvation and Burning evidence a band who could write and put together some complex stuff in places not unlike say Queensryche would do on Rage for Order if that gives you an idea of what Original Sin could do off their own bat.
The single live track here – Close to the Edge shows much musical competence also.
Original Sin had the ability as demonstrated by all sixteen songs here. Sadly though they ultimately went the way of many NWOBHM-era bands who, for whatever reason, couldn’t get out of the pack.
Top marks to Obscure NWOBHM Releases for digging up the demos from somewhere (how do they keep doing it…..?) and providing the opportunity to listen to a “lost” band from the old day.
Get your hands on a copy if you can before all 500 are gone. As I type this post the label’s web site is listing as available:
https://onreleases.bigcartel.com/
More NWOBHM to follow with Airforce and their excellent album Strike Hard.