Shock Tactics is the third studio album by British heavy metal band Samson, released in 1981. It was vocalist Bruce Dickinson's final album with the band before joining Iron Maiden (who were coincidentally recording Killers, their last album with Paul Di'Anno, in the same studio at the same time as Samson).[3]

Shock Tactics
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 15, 1981
Recorded2–31 January 1981
StudioBattery Studios, London
GenreHeavy metal
Length39:46
LabelRCA
ProducerTony Platt
Samson chronology
Head on
(1980)
Shock Tactics
(1981)
Before the Storm
(1982)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal10/10[2]

Track listing edit

All tracks by Bruce Dickinson, Paul Samson, Chris Aylmer and Thunderstick, except "Riding with the Angels" by Russ Ballard.

No.TitleLength
1."Riding with the Angels" (Russ Ballard cover)3:42
2."Earth Mother"4:40
3."Nice Girl"3:19
4."Blood Lust"6:00
5."Go to Hell"3:18
6."Bright Lights"3:07
7."Once Bitten"4:36
8."Grime Crime"4:32
9."Communion"6:32

2001 re-issue bonus tracks edit

No.TitleLength
10."Little Big Man"3:23
11."Pyramid to the Stars"5:19
12."Losing My Grip"4:00

Personnel edit

Samson edit

Production edit

  • Tony Platt - producer, engineer
  • Graham Carmichael - assistant engineer

Re-issues edit

Shock Tactics has seen several CD re-issues over the years. The first came in 1989 courtesy of German company Repertoire, in 1991 via Grand Slamm in the U.S. and in 1992 through Jimco in Japan, followed by Bruce Dickinson's short-lived Air Raid label in 2000. The most recent CD re-issues on Castle/Sanctuary (2001), Dissonance Productions (2017), Japan's Wasabi Records (2018), and Brazil's Hellion Records (2020) all contain 3 bonus tracks, "Little Big Man", "Pyramid to the Stars" and "Losing My Grip", not included on the earlier editions. The original 9-song album has also seen vinyl re-issues in the UK and Europe through Back On Black and in the U.S. via Real Gone Music, both in 2017.

References edit

  1. ^ Prato, Greg. "Samson - Shock Tactics review". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  2. ^ Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 306. ISBN 978-1894959315.
  3. ^ "Interview With Bruce Dickinson - December 1983". Iron Maiden Bulgaria Fan Club. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2013.