Wednesday, July 5: Fozzy, “To Kill a Stranger”
“To Kill a Stranger” was the first sign that Chris Jericho and Rich Ward might actually be taking Fozzy seriously: the self-titled debut had a couple originals sprinkled in with all the covers, but Happenstance’s first proper track was a surprisingly convincing Jericho/Ward stomper that actually held its own next to the Priest and Sabbath remakes. The past and present Y2J wasn’t exactly on par with his vocal idols, but he had hunger and conviction, and Ward’s riffing offered a more traditionally metallic approach than his usual work with Stuck Mojo. The song was straightforward and urgent, not at all reinventing the wheel but ably making the case for Fozzy earning its place in the metal community, and considering the group’s origins as a wrestler’s hobby band, that was actually a significant achievement.
