Born Too Late

While Saint Vitus maintained the concept it had followed since its beginning—a malevolent and uniquely American interpretation of Black Sabbath’s slow blues—1986’s Born Too Late was an artistic breakthrough for the foursome. The addition of singer Scott “Wino” Weinrich gave the band a gravitas and a focus that'd been missing in its early work. Wino didn’t sing like a teenager in a garage—he was a full-throated Viking. His leadership raised the band’s standard and made Born Too Late its most popular work to date. St. Vitus no longer sounded like a mere imitation of Sabbath but rather developed its own forms with the bluesy swing of “Thirsty and Miserable,” the throttling down-stomp of “Clear Windowpane,” and the hushed menace of “The Lost Feeling.” The crown jewel here is the title track, which functions not only as a great opener but an existential declaration: “I know I don't belong/And there's nothing that I can do/I was born too late/And I'll never be like you.”