Review Summary: A stronger, heavier Constrictor
With Alice Cooper having his comeback be entwined in the eighties slasher film craze, it was only fitting for him to double down on the horror sleaze with 1987’s Raise Your Fist and Yell. In addition to the more graphic lyrics and bloodier stage show, Robert Englund shows up in character for the spoken cameo on “Lock Me Up” while “Princess of Darkness” has its ties with the John Carpenter film which featured a cameo from Cooper himself. If Constrictor had these elements as a vague undercurrent before, then this album was committed to a full delivery.
The musicianship reflects this attitude with more aggressive performances that push Alice dangerously close to full-on heavy metal crossover. Much of this can be attributed to drummer Ken Mary, whose speed metal background results in plenty of hard-hitting beats and perhaps the most upfront presence for a timekeeper since the days of the original band. It also rubs off on guitarist Kane Roberts, making for more acrobatic leads and riffs that are about as muscular as Roberts himself!
Like Constrictor before it, this album’s best songs are the ones that bookend it. The opening “Freedom” has the mix of red-blooded patriotism and push against authority that could’ve only come from the PMRC era but has the sort of commanding riffs and bellowing chorus to sell it. “Roses on White Lace” is among the most intense songs of any Alice era, following up the Nightmare-era throwbacks on “Gail” with choppy guitars that invoke Iron Maiden and the sort of snarled verses and soaring choruses that beg for the full power metal treatment.
Fortunately, some of the songs in between come off more memorably than those of its predecessor. “Lock Me Up” supports those opening Krueger-isms with sturdy drums and a particularly solid chorus while “Prince of Darkness” stands out for another hefty chorus and fluctuating arena metal dynamics. On the flip side, “Give the Radio Back” plays with the same youthful snottiness as “Freedom” with lesser results and “Chop, Chop, Chop” reminds one of Dio’s “Shoot Shoot” with its awkwardly chanted chorus bringing it down.
Overall, Raise Your First and Yell evens out to the same level of quality as Constrictor but its heavier execution makes for a slightly more engaging listen. While there’s still enough polish to keep Alice just shy of thrash, the more weighted drums and guitars work to give it a distinct identity. This album could’ve been an all-time horror rock classic with a bit more consistency in the songwriting but like Constrictor before it, it’s another entertaining album to have in your spooky season rotation.
