The Force (Onslaught album)
| The Force | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 1986[1] | |||
| Recorded | January–February 1986 | |||
| Studios | Matrix Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Thrash metal | |||
| Length | 44:48 | |||
| Label | Under One Flag | |||
| Producers | Onslaught, Dave Pine | |||
| Onslaught chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Martin Popoff | [3] |
The Force is the second studio album by English thrash metal band Onslaught, released in March 1986, through Under One Flag.[1]
More successful than their previous album, Power from Hell, The Force is considered a thrash metal classic by fans and critics, and the band's first to feature Sy Keeler on vocals (he would depart in 1988, only to return for the 2007 album Killing Peace).
The album was re-issued in 2002 by Blackend Records and received a full remaster by Jacob Hansen for the 2013 release on AFM Records, with revamped artwork with liner notes by Nige Rockett. Onslaught have been playing The Force in its entirety recently celebrating its anniversary on The Full Force Tour.
Music
The album's music has drawn comparisons to Slayer, "albeit with murkier, lower-budget production," according to Steve Huey of AllMusic. The musicianship is considered to be improved from the group's previous effort.[2]
Track listing
All songs written by Onslaught.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Let There Be Death" | 6:41 |
| 2. | "Metal Forces" | 6:37 |
| 3. | "Fight with the Beast" | 6:01 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 4. | "Demoniac" | 6:49 |
| 5. | "Flame of the Antichrist" | 7:49 |
| 6. | "Contract in Blood" | 6:11 |
| 7. | "Thrash 'till the Death" | 4:40 |
| Total length: | 44:48 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 8. | "Let There Be Rock" (AC/DC cover) | 5:14 |
| 9. | "Metal Forces" (Live) | 6:30 |
| 10. | "Power from Hell / Angels of Death" (Live) | 4:28 |
| Total length: | 61:00 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Let There Be Death" (Live) | 4:16 |
| 12. | "Metal Forces" (Live) | 5:06 |
| 13. | "Fight with the Beast" (Live) | 5:24 |
| 14. | "Demoniac" (Live) | 5:12 |
| Total length: | 80:58 | |
Personnel
- Onslaught
- Sy Keeler – vocals
- Nige Rockett – lead guitar
- Jase Stallard – rhythm guitar
- Paul Mahoney – bass
- Steve Grice – drums
- Production
- Dave Pine – producer, engineer
- Roy Rowland – mixing
References
- 1 2 "Onslaught – Original Period (1983–1991)". 19 July 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- 1 2 Huey, Steve. "Onslaught - The Force review". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
- ↑ Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.