The “Wings of Desire” debut full length by RUFF JUSTICE from Dallas, Texas, USA was privately released by the band, back in 1993 in 200 CD copies and it actually marks the ending of the group’s very first period.
A period full of line up changes and live shows plus a remarkable amount of passion, talent and inspiration captured on the band’s originals that are featured on this particular debut release which is now getting a reissue on Arkeyn Steel Records.
I would start my reference on the reissue’s included material with the selected songs from the “Just Us” official bootleg cassette (1993). Songs that have been restored and added as bonus tracks: Yes you can feel, the band’s raw power and energy as you hear those live versions and then you can roll on their studio versions and witness for yourself the metamorphosis of those rough live diamonds into pieces if melodic Heavy Metal excellence.
“They are not making like this any more”, this was my first thought when I first heard the studio recordings of this debut many many moons ago. And even today as I am hearing the remastered editions of this reissue I insist on the very same statement.
Melodic Heavy Metal at its best featuring lots of blazing leads and solo guitar parts plus some of the finest vocal melodies that you can hear from a Dallas Metal band of the early 90s: This what you will get from the music included on this reissued debut.
“Wings of Desire” same titled track is still my favorite from that era. And I love the live version of the “Trouble in Paradise” song which comes from the already mentioned “Just Us” official bootleg and appeared later on the band’s second “No Justice No Peace” release (1995) also reissued on Arkeyn Steel Records.
As I was aware of the sounding of the original “Wings of Desire” recordings I was really shocked of the excellent job that Kostas Scandalis have done with the re-mastering. But the real magic goes to the restored live songs: Their restoring process have been done from the band’s last existing copy of the “Just Us” cassette and the result us amazing: Hearing those restored and remastered live tunes makes me feel that I am in front of the band on a live stage back in the glorious 1993 days of Dallas.
There are also two completely unreleased songs from the band’s 00s reunion era included as bonus –“Victory” and “Hold the Fire”. Those 2007 compositions, are existing only as live recordings and they are officially released from the very first time in this edition of the “Wings of Desire” album.
Lots of unreleased photos, lyrics and liner notes that briefly describe this particular first era of the band, are completing this fine edition of “Wings of Desire”.
This reissue is the second and last one of the RUFF JUSTICE reissues set: A project that was started in order for the entire recordings catalog of this excellent band from Dallas, TX, to be released officially together with their complete history in the form of liner notes, all of their lyrics plus lots of photos.
So now there is not any RUFF JUSTICE material on the vaults: Both their albums have been re issued, together with all the studio recordings from their unfinished reunion record, plus all their composed but never recorded in studio songs that appear in the form of live versions. Two great reissues that presents the vision of a band that never stopped to haunt the Heavy Metal Dream!
Justice is done!
Release date: 12th January 2024 – Pre order here.
