User:PaulMacnamara/In The Beginning ... (Salem album)

In The Beginning ... is a double LP by Salem (aka Salem UK), a heavy rock/metal band from Hull, England. It is a compilation of the band's four recording sessions from the early 1980s, released in 2010 by High Roller Records on vinyl and Pure Steel Records on CD with two 2009 bonus tracks.

Demo I
Salem was formed by two former members, Paul Tognola and Paul Conyers, of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal band Ethel The Frog who featured on the Metal for Muthas compilations alongside the likes of Iron Maiden, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Praying Mantis and Samson.

Salem (I) recorded their first demo at Fairview Studios, Willerby where other rockers such as Mick Ronson and the contemporary Def Leppard had made their early recordings. This recording session on 4 January 1981 captured four "self-penned" tracks : the songs "Make The grade" (based on a tribute to the late Bon Scott) and "Coming For You" were composed by Paul Tognola, "Cold As Steel" was a Paul Macnamara track with lyrics by Tognola, and "Fool's Gold" was written by fellow, former Ethel the Frog member, Terry Hopkinson (singer, bass player and composer) who sang his own version of the track at this recording.

Single
The following year, Salem (II) released its double A-side single, "Cold As Steel"/"Reach To Eternity", recorded again at Fairview on 4 April 1982. "Reach To Eternity" was a Macnamara track with lyrics by Ade Jenkinson. The single was released on the band's own label, Hilton Records.

Following an interview with guitarist Paul Macnamara in Kerrang!, the single appeared in the 'local chart' section of the magazine and singles achieved "comparatively successful sales" globally. According to the NWOBHM Encyclopaedia, the single is now, "a highly collectable and valuable rarity", and is also listed in Record Collector's "Rare Record Price Guide".

Demo II
Later that year, Salem (III) recorded a further demo, this time at Adda Studios in East Hull, on 8 September 1982. In addition to new versions of three previously recorded songs, this recording included the first two parts of what was to become The Trilogy of the Keeper of The Keys: "Part I: The Keeper" was already a core element of the Salem set, a Macnamara piece with Tognola lyrics, and "Part 2: The Revenge" had been composed recently by Jenkinson and Simon Saxby; "Fighting For The Cause" was another Macnamara track with Tognola lyrics.

Demo III
In November 1982, Salem (III) entered and won the Battle of bands competition at Huddersfield Polytechnic; the prize for first place was a day in the local 24-track September Sound Studio, apparently better know for brass band music. Salem recorded the final demo here on 23 March 1983. This session comprised five new tracks: "The Hangman's Noose", "The Other Side of Hell, and "The Trilogy - Part 3: The King," were composed by Macnamara, "Save The Night" was a Jenkinson song and "Rock Fever" was the first composition by Mark Allison. All lyrics were written by Saxby. This demo demonstrated a heavy yet more melodic approach to Salem's music.

Bonus Tracks
The two "bonus tracks" were recorded by Macnamara in 2009. "The Keeper of the Keys: Introduction" was designed as a fanfare to the "The Trilogy" and was used in a modified form at Salem's gig on November 2010. "Run For Your Life" was a song composed by Macnamara and originally performed by Salem in 1980; this version was recorded in August 2009, with vocals and updated lyrics by Saxby as message to his son who was in Afghanistan.

Compilation Release
With the revival in New Wave of British Heavy Metal there has been much interest in bands from that period, and in 2009 Macnamara was approached with a view to releasing Salem's music. Subsequently, the band's recordings were re-mastered by High Roller Records and released in 2010 as a double-album on vinyl (black, clear and ""splatter""), and by Pure Steel Records on CD.

Track listing
Volume I
 * 1) "The Keeper of the Keys: Introduction" (Macnamara) - 00:42 (Bonus track)
 * 2) "Hangman's Noose" (Macnamara, Saxby) - 02:50 (from Demo 3)
 * 3) "Cold As Steel" (Macnamara, Tognola) - 04:32 (from Single)
 * 4) "Fool's Gold" (Hopkinson) - 05:57 (from Demo 1)
 * 5) "Coming For You" (Tognola) - 03:23 (from Demo 2)
 * 6) "Make The Grade" (Tognola) - 05:11 (from Demo 1)
 * 7) ”The Trilogy of the Keeper of The Keys:
 * 8) "Part I: The Keeper" (Macnamara, Saxby) - 06:36 (from Demo 2)
 * 9) "Part 2: The Revenge" (Jenkinson, Saxby) - 04:48 (from Demo 2)
 * 10) "Part 3: The King " (Macnamara, Saxby) - 05:11 (from Demo 3)

Volume II
 * 1) "Reach For Eternity" (Macnamara, Jenkinson) - 03:18 (from Single)
 * 2) "Make The Grade" (Tognola) - 05:05 (from Demo 2)
 * 3) "Save The Night" (Jenkinson, Saxby) - 03:49 (from Demo 3)
 * 4) "Rock Fever" (Allinson, Saxby) - 04:08 (from Demo 3)
 * 5) "Fool's Gold" (Hopkinson) - 04:18 (from Demo 2)
 * 6) "Cold As Steel" (Macnamara, Tognola) - 04:49 (from Demo 1)
 * 7) "Coming For You" (Tognola) - 04:15 (from Demo 1)
 * 8) "Other Side of Hell" (Macnamara, Saxby) - 05:34 (from Demo 3)
 * 9) "Fighting For The Cause" (Macnamara, Tognola) - 04:44 (from Demo 2)
 * 10) "Run For Your Life" (Macnamara, Saxby) - 04:47 (Bonus track)

Personnel
See Salem (UK) and musicbrainz.org