Unquestionably the best offering from New York's
Riot,
Fire Down Under is considered by many to be an early-'80s metal classic. After two marginally successful LPs, 1977's
Rock City and 1979's
Narita, bandleader
Mark Reale worked out all the kinks in
Riot's membership and musical delivery, and the results are dramatic. The songs are tight and memorable, the guitars are flashy, and the production is aggressive and slick on this 1981 collection. The group's best and most recognizable tune, "Swords & Tequila," kicks off
Fire Down Under with an astonishing power surge. Other standouts include the fast-paced title track, "Outlaw," and "Don't Bring Me Down." The intensity then lets up as some bland numbers dampen the second half of
Fire Down Under. But despite a few lesser cuts, this effort qualifies as one of the top metal discs of 1981, and the only
Riot recording that competes with mainstays from the likes of
Judas Priest,
Iron Maiden, and (early)
Def Leppard.