''Soldier of Fortune'' is the eighth studio album by Japanese
heavy metal band
Loudness
In acoustics, loudness is the subjectivity, subjective perception of sound pressure. More formally, it is defined as, "That attribute of auditory sensation in terms of which sounds can be ordered on a scale extending from quiet to loud". The rel ...
, and their first with American vocalist
Mike Vescera. It is the band's third album produced by
Max Norman
Max Norman is a British record producer and recording engineer active since 1973. He produced many acclaimed heavy metal releases.
While Norman was resident engineer at Ridge Farm Studios in London, Ozzy Osbourne was recording his debut solo ...
after ''
Thunder in the East'' in 1985 and ''
Lightning Strikes'' in 1986. The album is co-produced by
Fates Warning
Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman. There have been numerous lineup ...
's producer Roger Probert. Despite the good critical reception
and the strong support given by the label, the album failed to chart in the US. The CD contains heavy and fast tracks like "Soldier of Fortune", "You Shook Me", "Red Light Shooter", "Running for Cover", "Faces in the Fire" and "Demon Disease".
A music video for the song "You Shook Me" was made, where the band can be affected by playing at the foot of the famous Hollywood peak, which falls apart specifically before the same sound force.
Track listing
All music by
Akira Takasaki
is a Japanese musician. He is best known as the lead guitarist and sole constant member of the heavy metal band Loudness. He is also the guitarist of the band Lazy, with which he first rose to prominence in the 1970s.
Career
He started his ...
. Lyrics are credited to Loudness.
#"Soldier of Fortune" – 3:55
#"You Shook Me" – 4:42
#"Danger of Love" – 5:02
#"Twenty Five Days from Home" – 4:22
#"Red Light Shooter" – 4:50
#"Running for Cover" – 4:21
#"Lost Without Your Love" – 4:56
#"Faces in the Fire" – 4:08
#"Long After Midnight" – 4:38
#"Demon Disease" – 4:34
Personnel
;Loudness
*
Michael Vescera
Michael Vescera is an American heavy metal singer for various bands and projects like Loudness (''Soldier of Fortune'', ''On the Prowl'', ''Live at the Budokan''), Obsession
(''Marshall Law'', ''Scarred for Life'', ''Methods of Madness'', '' ...
– vocals
*
Akira Takasaki
is a Japanese musician. He is best known as the lead guitarist and sole constant member of the heavy metal band Loudness. He is also the guitarist of the band Lazy, with which he first rose to prominence in the 1970s.
Career
He started his ...
– guitars
*Masayoshi Yamashita – bass
*
Munetaka Higuchi
(December 24, 1958 – November 30, 2008) was a Japanese musician and record producer. He is best known as the original drummer of the heavy metal band Loudness, but first rose to prominence as a member of Lazy in the 1970s.
Career
From a ...
– drums
;Additional musicians
*
Claude Schnell
Claude Schnell (born May 17, 1955) is an American keyboardist who has been a member of the bands Magic, Rough Cutt, Dio, and Last in Line.
Biography
Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in France, when he was six years old his family mo ...
– keyboards
;Production
*
Max Norman
Max Norman is a British record producer and recording engineer active since 1973. He produced many acclaimed heavy metal releases.
While Norman was resident engineer at Ridge Farm Studios in London, Ozzy Osbourne was recording his debut solo ...
– producer, mixing
*Roger Probert – producer
*Bill Freesh – engineer
*Charlie Brocco, Steve Sisco, Dave Carpenter, Joe Barresi, Pat MacDougall, Masanori Ihara – assistant engineers
*Chris Bellman – mastering
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Soldier of Fortune (Album)
1989 albums
Loudness (band) albums
Albums produced by Max Norman
Atco Records albums
Warner Music Japan albums