u/Which_Touch548

Happy anniversary to this monster of a record! Here's some contemporary reviews.

1. Raw: 05 Sep 1990
2. Metal Forces: Issue 54/1990
3. Metal Hammer (Germany): Feb 1991 (Rough translation via DeepL below)

>It’s baffling that Pantera’s new full-length album is only available in this country as an imported CD. After all, with *Cowboys From Hell*, this Texan quartet has delivered their best work to date, offering nearly 60 minutes of outstanding power metal with Bay Area-style thrash influences. Once again, Terry Date (Metal Church, Prong, Suicidal Tendencies, etc.) was at the mixing desk, working alongside the band – who acted as co-producers – to get the sound just right. An endeavour which – as one would expect from Mr Date – has been a resounding success. Songs like the brilliant semi-ballad ‘Cemetery Gates’ simply couldn’t be staged any better. Ultimately, however, Pantera lacks that little bit of class needed to keep up with the competition, such as Metal Church, Savatage or Sanctuary. That’s why it’s ‘only’ a solid five points, with room for improvement.

1. Advert - Kerrang: 18 Mar 1989
2. Review #1 - Metal Hammer: 20 Mar 1989
3. Review #2 - Metal Hammer: 20 Mar 1989
4. Review #3 - Metal Hammer (Germany): 23 Mar 1989 (Rough translation via ChatGPT below)
5. Advert #2 - Metal Hammer (Germany) 07 Apr 1989

>"We don't sound like RUSH!"

Guitarist John Petrucci firmly rejects every comparison with that famous band. And his rejection is entirely justified. Dream Theater shares only very superficial similarities with Rush. If comparisons must be made, then rather with The Nice, early Kansas, or Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

Charlie Dominici (vocals), John Petrucci (guitar), Kevin Moore (keyboards), John Myung (bass), and Mike Portnoy (drums/percussion) have chosen to pursue a style of music that has been largely neglected since the mid-1970s—a kind of music that can only inadequately be described by the label "progressive."

Dream Theater is a group of outstanding musicians and composers, but also a band deeply rooted in thrash metal. They make no attempt to hide those roots; instead, they incorporate them into a fusion of many different musical styles. Alongside influences from 1970s progressive rock, their music also draws from jazz, classical music, psychedelic rock, and even quotations from contemporary electronic music.

It is a unique mixture that almost inevitably suggests a solid formal musical education. And indeed, the members have one. Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci, and John Myung met while studying at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, while Kevin Moore attended the Fredonia School of Music before joining the other three in a band called Majesty.

Under that name—but with a different singer—the four musicians released a four-track demo in 1986, which attracted considerable attention on both sides of the Atlantic. Singer Charlie Dominici joined in the fall of 1987, replacing the departing original vocalist. At the beginning of 1988, Mechanic Records finally took notice of the quintet, signed them, and sent them into the studio. Shortly before the planned release, however, they had to abandon the name Majesty, because a band from Las Vegas had already claimed it. With the name Dream Theater, the five musicians found one that could hardly have suited them better.

Each member is a brilliant instrumentalist and musician, and together they are gifted composers who, with an incredible love of detail, have created miniature works of art that only fully reveal themselves after repeated listening and continue to offer new surprises.

The individual songs are arranged almost perfectly and are highly complex. Beautiful harmonies contrast sharply with dramatic passages, while relentlessly driving, often nervous bass and drum structures create moods and atmospheres that are at times oppressive and at other times exhilarating.

With their debut album, Dream Theater have immediately delivered a masterpiece. In my opinion, this band has a very bright future. Therefore, the highest possible score: 7 out of 7 for a debut.
— Edgar Klüsener

They were certainly not wrong....

Here's the photo and interview that's referenced on David Donato's Wiki page:

>"After Gillan, we were living out in America, in LA again," recalled guitarist Tony Iommi. "We were auditioning all sorts of different singers… and this Dave Donato was one of the ones who we did try a few times… He seemed to look alright and whatever else, and seemed to be okay, but it was just auditions. We never actually had him in, as a part of the band. But it happened that Kerrang! or somebody came out to do an interview and, of course, he was there at the time, and they took a picture of everybody. So automatically this guy suddenly becomes part of the band – according to everybody else."

>Contrary to reports, Donato was not fired after an interview with Kerrang!. The band soon fell apart, and Iommi formed an entirely new Sabbath the following year.

Rough English translation via DeepL:

>Carnivore is a new power metal band from Brooklyn, New York, that’s vying for a top spot in the heavy metal scene with its self-titled debut. And things are looking good for the band, which tackles the genre with talent and a fresh sound influenced by Black Sabbath, Venom, and above all, Manowar—and which, try as you might, you’d never guess has only been around since January 1984.

This is no coincidence, however, as the trio’s two founders—singer/bassist Lord Petrus Steel (whose real name is Pete Ratajczyck) and drummer Louis Bateaux—had previously played for years in a band called Fallout, which released the single “Rock Hard”/“Batteries Not Included” as early as 1981. The search for a suitable guitarist was initially unsuccessful, but then they came across guitarist Keith Alexander, who was a perfect fit for the band in every way—Carnivore was born! The three placed great importance on their appearance; inspired by the Mad Max movies, they dressed like the Road Warriors from the films, referred to themselves from then on as “survivors of the Third or Fourth World War,” and limited their lyrical messages to this theme as well—“the world after nuclear destruction and bacterial genocide.” Based on this concept, they recorded a 3-track demo featuring the songs “World Wars III and IV,” “Carnivore,” and “The Subhuman,” which brought them into contact with Roadrunner. A collaboration was agreed upon in the spring of 1985, and the result is now the album “Carnivore.” And for power metal fans, this is a must-have....

"Review" of the January 31, 1988 gig at Mean Fiddler, London, England