Walkin' the Razor's Edge

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Walkin' the Razor's Edge

| type = studio

| artist = Helix

| cover = Helix walkin.jpg

| alt =

| released = July 1984

| recorded =

| studio = Phase One Studios, Toronto
Electric Lady, New York City
Studio One, Atlanta

| genre = *Hard rock

  • heavy metal
  • glam metal{{cite web|title= Top 50 Glam Metal Albums |website= Metal Rules |url= http://www.metal-rules.com/polls/index.php?id=8 |access-date= February 24, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171126083532/http://www.metal-rules.com/polls/index.php?id=8 |archive-date= November 26, 2017 |url-status= dead}}

| length = 33:01

| label = Capitol

| producer = Tom Treumuth, Helix and Rodney Mills

| prev_title = No Rest for the Wicked

| prev_year = 1983

| next_title = Long Way to Heaven

| next_year = 1985

}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 =AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web | url = http://www.allmusic.com/album/walkin-the-razors-edge-r40347/review | title = Helix Walkin' the Razor's Edge review | accessdate = August 6, 2011 | last = Rivadavia | first = Eduardo | publisher = AllMusic}}

| noprose = yes

}}

Walkin' the Razor's Edge is the fourth studio album by the Canadian heavy metal band Helix. It was released on the Capitol Records label in 1984, reaching No. 27 on the Canadian RPM Album Chart, and selling 100,000 copies in Canada and 400,000 internationally.{{cite book | author=Vollmer, Brian| title= Gimme An R! the story of Brian Vollmer, lead vocalist of Helix| publisher=Ball Media Corporation | year=2004 | isbn=0-9739849-0-2}}

The video for its lead single, "Rock You", which was filmed in a quarry in Kitchener, Ontario, is perhaps best known for the image of guitar player Brent Doerner emerging from the water to play his guitar solo.[http://www.bravewords.com/news/58394 BRENT DOERNER interview by Michael A. Ladano - "If You Don't Write Good Songs, It Ain't Gonna Fly Baby"] "Rock You" reached number 27 on the Canadian RMP Pop Singles Chart, although it was more popular on Canadian rock radio stations. The second single was the Crazy Elephant cover "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'". Two versions of its music video were filmed: One for music video channels, and the other being an "adult" version featuring topless models including a then 16-year-old porn star Traci Lords. This version was aired on the Playboy Channel in the United States.{{cite book | author=Vollmer, Brian| title= Gimme An R! the story of Brian Vollmer, lead vocalist of Helix| publisher=Ball Media Corporation | year=2004 | isbn=0-9739849-0-2}} The band also made a promotional video for their A Foot in Coldwater cover, "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want", with the song reaching number 44 on the Canadian RPM Pop Chart.

Track listing

{{tracklist

| all_writing = Helix except where noted

| headline = Side one

| title1 = Rock You

| writer1 = Bob Halligan Jr.

| length1 = 2:51

| title2 = Young & Wreckless

| length2 = 3:22

| title3 = Animal House

| length3 = 2:57

| title4 = Feel the Fire

| length4 = 3:13

| title5 = When the Hammer Falls

| length5 = 3:02

}}

{{tracklist

| headline = Side two

| title6 = Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'

| note6 = Crazy Elephant cover

| writer6 = Joey Levine, Ritchie Cordell

| length6 = 3:25

| title7 = My Kind of Rock

| length7 = 2:54

| title8 = (Make Me Do) Anything You Want

| note8 = A Foot in Coldwater cover

| writer8 = Paul Naumann, Danny Taylor

| length8 = 4:07

| title9 = Six Strings, Nine Lives

| length9 = 3:14

| title10 = You Keep Me Rockin'

| length10 = 3:38

}}

{{tracklist

| headline = 2009 UK Rock Candy Records edition bonus tracks

| title11 = Young & Wreckless

| note11 = live, taken from Live at the Marquee promotional-only EP

| length11 = 3:25

| title12 = Rock You

| writer12 = Halligan Jr.

| note12 = live, taken from Live at the Marquee promotional-only EP

| length12 = 4:14

| title13 = Animal House

| note13 = live, taken from Live at the Marquee promotional-only EP

| length13 = 3:32

}}

Personnel

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

Band members

  • Brian Vollmer – lead vocals
  • Brent "The Doctor" Doerner – guitars, backing vocals
  • Paul Hackman – guitars, backing vocals
  • Daryl Gray – bass, backing vocals
  • Greg "Fritz" Hinz – drums

Additional musicians

{{col-2}}

Production

  • Produced by Tom Treumuth for Hypnotic Productions, except "Rock You" and "Young & Wreckless", co-produced by Helix and Rodney Mills
  • Bonus tracks produced by Simon Hanhart
  • Recorded & Engineered by Dave Wittman
  • Recorded at Phase One Studios (Toronto), Electric Lady (New York City), Studio One (Atlanta)
  • Rodney Mills – mixing
  • Gregory M. Quesnel – mixing assistant
  • Originally Mastered by Bob Ludwig
  • Remastered by Jon Astley (2009 Rock Candy version)
  • Heather Brown, Robert Meecham – art direction

{{col-end}}

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! Chart (1984)

! Peak
position

{{Album chart|Canada|27|artist=Helix|album=Walkin' the Razor's Edge|chartid=9548|rowheader=true|accessdate=25 June 2023}}
{{Album chart|Sweden|26|artist=Helix|album=Walkin' the Razor's Edge|rowheader=true|accessdate=25 June 2023}}
{{Album chart|Billboard200|69|artist=Helix|rowheader=true|accessdate=25 June 2023}}

Certifications

{{certification Table Top}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Canada|artist=Helix|title=Walkin' the Razor's Edge|award=Platinum|relyear=1984|certyear=1984}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

References