Track Listing

1. Bastille Day
2. I Think I'm Going Bald
3. Lakeside Park
4. Necromancer: Into Darkness/Under the Shadow/Return of the Prince
5. Fountain of Lamneth: In the Valley/Didacts and Narpets/No One At

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7359 in Music
• Brand: RUSH
• Released on: 1997-05-06
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Album Description
Japanese only paper sleeve SHM pressing. The SHM-CD [Super High Material CD] format features enhanced audio quality through the use of a special polycarbonate plastic. Using a process developed by JVC and Universal Music Japan discovered through the joint companies' research into LCD display manufacturing SHM-CDs feature improved transparency on the data side of the disc allowing for more accurate reading of CD data by the CD player laser head. SHM-CD format CDs are fully compatible with standard CD players. Warner. 2009.

Customer Reviews

UNDER-PRODUCED, UNDERRATED
If you see many people on this site saying that this album is underrated, then shouldn't that be a wake up call?

Caress Of Steel seems raw and under-produced, but I think that's what gives the album it's appeal. It stars of with "Bastille Day", a rocker with imaginative lyrics. "I Think I'm Going Bald", despite it's quirky lyrics, is still a great song. If anything, on this particular track, it's the music that counts, which rocks and is catchy. "Lakeside Park", which is probably my least favorite on here, is still a great mellow tune. "The Necromancer", is the bands first attempt at a 10+ minute epic. Check out the middle section with furious guitar solos. "The Fountain Of Lamneth", Rush' first 20 minute epic, once again, if not for the lyrics, the music more than makes up for it. It goes from hard rock, to soothing clasical guitar to pop/hard rock to all out hard rock again. It's the most progressive on here.

Overall, a great effort from Rush. This is what I call the start of Rush's heavy progressive rock, and it would get more refined as the later releases indicate.

UNDESERVEDLY UNDERATED
This wrongly overlooked album is a treasure trove of early 70's heavy prog rock. The second album with the amazing Neil Peart behind the pen and drum kit, Caress has the raw intensity and sincerity that the band launched their career on. Fast moving tracks like "Bastille Day" and "I Think I'm Goin' Bald" balance the two slower concept pieces, "The Necromancer" (thinly veiled Tolkien, gotta love it!) and "The Fountain of Lamneth." Both of the concept pieces are classic, and preview the band's move into the full-blown, hard rock must-have concept album 2112 (and later, "Hemispheres"). If you're exploring the sonic world of Rush, don't forget Caress of Steel!

Almost as good as 2112.
CARESS OF STEEL is in my opinion one the most underrated albums to come out of the Seventies. It shows Rush go further into their transition from a Led Zep inspired hard rock band into a technical progressive rock outfit.

The album starts out with the rocking "Bastille Day". This song sounds like something Iron Maiden would do almost a decade later. It is followed by the humorous "I Think I'm Going Bald". This is the weakest song on the album, but it's still not bad. Third is the beautiful and laidback "Lakeside Park". It reminds me of Led Zep's "Down by the Seaside".

Then we have the two huge concept songs. The first of which is the twelve and a half minute long "The Necromancer". It is both desolate and hypnotic. Roughly half way through Alex Lifeson treats the listener to one of the most spectacular guitar solos ever recorded. The twenty minute long "The Fountain of Lamneth" finishes the album. It strikes a perfect balance of hard rocking and acoustic guitars. The section called "Didacts and Narpets" has a drum solo that is just as good as Led Zep's "Moby Dick" or Black Sabbath's "Rat Salad".

The only thing preventing me from giving this album 5 stars is Geddy Lee's vocals. I don't think his singing is anywhere near as bad as some say it is, but you just can't compare him to someone like Neal Morse or Maynard James Keenan. His bass playing on COS is exceptional however. And it only gets better on their later albums.

Overall rating: 4.25 stars.