«Court in the Act» is Satan’s debut album, released in 1983 by Roadrunner Records, which licensed it to Neat Records for the British market. The sessions took place in early 1983. The line-up is Brian Ross on vocals, Russ Tippins and Steve Ramsey on guitars, Graeme English on bass and Sean Taylor on drums. Ross had come over from Blitzkrieg shortly before the album was finished.
“`Country: England
Genre: NWOBHM
For fans of: Iron Maiden, Angel Witch, Diamond Head
The band formed in Newcastle around 1979 and had two demos and the «Kiss of Death» single behind them before the album. Unlike many of their peers, Satan were not satisfied with simple structures: the songs carry unusual rhythms, tempo shifts and a darker, more epic atmosphere. The lyrics deal with conflict, justice and moral dilemmas, fitting the courtroom theme of the title.
The record opens with the instrumental «Into the Fire» and continues with «Trial by Fire». «Blades of Steel» stands out for its heavy groove, «Break Free» for its fast, proto-thrash passages, and «Alone in the Dock» for an epic close that runs over six minutes. «Hunt You Down» and the instrumentals «The Ritual» and «Dark Side of Innocence» fill out the rest.
«Court in the Act» is counted among the classic NWOBHM albums and stood out because it carried elements that would turn up in speed and thrash in the following decade. After the record the band briefly changed their name to Blind Fury before returning as Satan. It has been reissued several times over the years, including a 2008 edition on Metal Mind Productions, and it remains a reference point for anyone after the darker side of the NWOBHM.
See also: Iron Maiden’s «Killers» and Saxon’s «Wheels of Steel», two records from the same years that set the pace for the movement.
