Like Thunder Through The Skull

Night Demon - Darkness Remains

Century Media Records - 2017

Muthas, in my not so humble opinion, Night Demon is one of the best new wave of traditional heavy metal bands in the world right now.  Their debut EP was an unbelievably good slice of retro NWOBHM and their first LP – Curse Oh The Damned – was simply excellent.  That brings us to the present where the band is scheduled to drop their all-important second LP on April 21^st.  So, will there be a sophomore slump or another solid album of traditional metal?  Well, I was lucky enough to secure of promo of their new album – Darkness Remains – and after spinning it about fifty times, I am ready to render a verdict. 

First things first though, there’s been a lineup change since we last heard from Night Demon. Guitarist Brent Woodward has departed and he’s been replaced by Armand John Anthony who was formerly with Gygax.  Also, main man Jarvis Leatherby has been busy fronting NWOBHM legends Jaguar, playing bass in Cirith Ungol and organizing the Frost And Fire Festivals for three years running.  Did the band lose focus with the new lineup and all their various outside activities and projects?  Thankfully, the answer is a resounding no! 

Darkness Remains is a tight collection of superbly executed traditional heavy metal and it’s crammed full of great riffs, catchy choruses, hooks galore, pounding drums and good vocals. There is a slight difference from their earlier material because Armand John Anthony’s playing style is heavily influenced by Thin Lizzy and his melodic riffing permeates the whole album.  However, it’s yet another cracking album from Night Demon that rivals the best efforts of the NWOBHM. 

The band rips right out of the gate with the lead track “Welcome To The Night.”  The song starts with a creepy intro and then blasts into a faster tempo.  It’s a quintessential Night Demon cut with varied tempos, a catchy chorus, a nice solo and occult lyrics.  Check out the excellent video for it:

“Hallowed Ground” is a speedy blaster featuring a pummeling riff that will definitely get your head banging with fury. ”Maiden Hell” is a very fun and peppy track that has lyrics which are all Iron Maiden references.  This song is very infectious and Jarvis even serves up a “Scream For Me!” Very cool!

“Stranger In The Room” is a mid-paced, epic spookster that reminds me of their song “The Howling Man” for their last album. The band is particularly adept at this kind of atmospheric track.  Well done lads! “Life On The Run” is one of my favorites on the album because it features some tasty and crunchy riffage and drops some really cool nods to other metal songs/albums in the lyrics – Thundersteel, Power Games, Hand Of Doom etc…  It also drops into a nice chugging riff at the midpoint and then transitions into a cool solo. 

“Dawn Rider” cruises along on the back of a “Heaven And Hell” style galloping riff and “Black Widow” is a classic “evil woman” song that has a regal/martial opening riff that dissolves into a killer up tempo pace that makes it another favorite of mine on the album.  “On Your Own” has a pure, classic 80s opening riff, “believe in yourself” lyrics and an earworm of a gang chorus that will lodge in your brain for days. 

  

“Flight Of The Manticore” is a sprawling, mid-tempo instrumental that definitely allows Armand to strut his stuff on the guitar.  I am a sucker for good instrumentals and this one is very good.  The final track on the CD and LP is the title cut and it’s quite the departure for Night Demon. The track reminds me of Black Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan” because Jarvis’s vocals sound like they are done through a Leslie speaker and the overall tone of the song is very melancholy. It’s quite the epic at 5:23 minutes in length and it fades out to some strings or synths at the end.

    

The digital download of the album also features two bonus tracks – a cover of Sabbath’s “Turn Up The Night” and a cover of Queen’s “We Will Rock You (Fast Version)” which is a very cool idea!

I also need to note that the album artwork is seemingly a homage of Iron Maiden's Somewhere In Time because it features loads of Night Demon references.  There's the band's mascot Rocky from the EP cover, the Curse Of The Damned cover, the band itself, and the building is the Ventura, California city hall. I'll have to pore over the LP cover when I get the vinyl, because there's a lot I can't see in the tiny digital picture I have.  I dig it! 

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The Bottom Line: Night Demon has released another great LP with Darkness Remains and it’s well worth your hard-earned coin. I am sure this will be in my best of 2017 and you should pre-order the album at the links below if you don't want to suck at life:

Physical Media Pre-Orders and Bundles

Digital and Physical Media Pre-Orders

As always, MAKE MINE METAL!   

Come Heavy Or Don't Come At All

Overkill - The Grinding Wheel

Nuclear Blast Records - 2017

Muthas, that unstoppable wrecking crew – Overkill – is back with their eighteenth (!) album and it’s an absolute skullcrusher. The Grinding Wheel was originally slated for a November 2016 release, but thankfully it was delayed due to some scheduling issues.  Why thankfully you ask? Well, because it had the potential to be lost in the shuffle during the old school thrash-o-rama of 2016. Overkill didn’t have to compete with Metallica and Testament for the limelight last November. The band has all eyes on them and they deliver the goods and then some.  Did anyone doubt they would?! 

The band possesses a signature sound much in the same way Motorhead did - you know what you are going to get - but they always manage to make it interesting.  Overkill never really succumbed to trends in any sustained way, and because of this tenacity they’ve enjoyed a long career while the vast majority of their peers packed it in decades ago.

 

The Grinding Wheel is a bit different from their last couple of albums in that the songs are longer and feature a good bit of variety.  I wouldn’t say the tracks are progressive, but rather they approach the epic with many tempo changes and vocal nuances.  The opening track “Mean, Green, Killing Machine” ably demonstrates what the album is all about. It sounds like classic Overkill with a couple of tempos and Blitz uses a couple of different vocal styles including some actual singing at the midpoint of the cut. All of this unfolds over seven and a half minutes of excellence.  Check out the lyric video:

“Goddamn Trouble” is one of the best songs on the album and it’s quintessential Overkill - loads of fun, a bit of punk, a bit of thrash and hooks for days. I’m not surprised that it’s already featured in their live set and I would imagine it’s going to stay there for a while. Check out the equally fun video:

“The Long Road” has a great intro that is begging to be played live because of its sing-along woah-oh vocals and blistering riffs.  The lyrics feel autobiographical because they are about never stopping and always moving forward.  Onward and upward indeed!

Another noteworthy cut is “Come Heavy” which is groovy and swaggering with loads of Black Sabbath influence that the band usually features on a couple of tracks per album.  This song will definitely get your head bobbing while you sing along.

The title track closes things out in epic fashion with a mid-paced groove and then finishes off with a another sing-along chant/chorus and then dissolves into a mournful string section.  It almost reminds one of something Iron Maiden would have come up with, believe it or not.

I should also note that the production by Andy Sneap is stellar and the album sounds amazing. If you were looking for some dirty thrash sounds you are out of luck, but if you like razor-sharp, clear production than you will be thrilled.  I hope he’ll be on board for future albums as he really captures the band’s sound well. 

Also the album is wrapped in nice artwork that features a stylized Chaly in between interlocked green gears with sparks flying.  It definitely evokes the sounds contained on the album and it a step up from the usual Overkill artwork which can be uninspired. Well done fellas.

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The Bottom Line: This is a great album and certainly equals their recent classic Ironbound if not some of their 80s albums.  If you are a fan of the band, a thrash fan, or a fan of heavy metal you should enjoy this immensely.  Go buy it and catch them on tour!

As Always, MAKE MINE METAL!

Killers Are Ready

Enforcer - From Beyond

Nuclear Blast Records - 2015

Muthas, Swedish metallers Enforcer are back with their fourth album, From Beyond, and it's a blazing 42 minutes of 100% pure, unadulterated, chromium steel. 2013's Death By Fire was great, and this new album is definitely its equal, if not even better! It’s rock-solid and all of the songs are top notch, which makes it a great companion to Death By Fire. There are loads of balls-out speed metal tracks mixed with heavy doses of traditional metal, and that's a winning combination in my book. 

From Beyond features mostly speedier cuts, as it to be expected from Enforcer, but it does have a couple of longer, epic tracks that are very good.  Frankly, there aren't any bad songs on the album at all.  It's clear that Enforcer knows how to write excellent songs, and one of their strengths is their choruses - they are total earworms!  Some bands struggle with this, but Enforcer's choruses will be stuck in your head long after you're done listening to the album. Also, the album is very well sequenced and is the perfect length for vinyl - all of which is conducive to a great listening experience.

"Destroyer" is the absolutely ripping opening cut and it's also the lead single and video.  Check it out below:

"Undying Evil" is the second track and it's another freewheel burner with an anthemic chorus and lyrics about vampires.  Check out the video for this bloodthirsty killer of a tune:

"One With Fire" and “Hell Will Follow” are examples of the killer, balls out, speedsters that have become a staple of Enforcer albums. Once again, the band has included an excellent instrumental - "Hungry They Will Come" - and it's positioned perfectly at the midpoint of the proceedings.  I love that Enforcer has a real appreciation for meaty instrumentals, as they've become something of a lost art since their 80s heyday.  Well done lads. "Below The Slumber" and "Mask Of Red Death" are the two longer, epic tracks and they are both very good.  They ably showcase another aspect of the band's excellent songwriting skills.  Would you like to hear some sweet, dual-guitar Maidenisms without ploughing through a 92 minute, two CD monstrosity? If the answer is yes, you should definitely check out the guitar noodling on “The Banshee.” 

  

In other news, Enforcer is releasing their first live album – Live By Fire – on November 20th and they are embarking on a co-headling tour of the States with Warbringer, Cauldron, and Exmortus.  Here are the dates:

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The Bottom Line: From Beyond is a great follow-up to Death By Fire and is well worth picking up if you are a fan of Traditional Metal, Speed Metal or plain old good music.  Enforcer proves once again why they are the cream of crop of the NWOTHM.  Highly recommended!

As always, MAKE MINE METAL!

Party With The Demons Down Below

Venom – From The Very Depths

Spinefarm Records – 2015

Muthas, NWOBHM stalwarts Venom released a new album back in January and it’s a rib-cracking, gut-pounding, rip-ride of Metal.  It might be the best thing they have done since their 1995 reunion, and it’s certainly the best release with the current lineup of Cronos, Rage and Dante.  Let me state right off the bat that if you are only a fan of “classic” Venom from their Neat Records days, you might not like this album.  This is modern Venom and it’s much more groove-oriented than what you may have been expecting.  If you only like Black Metal this won’t be your cup of poison, but you might want to give it a listen anyway if you like your thrash with some groove.

The band’s last album was Fallen Angels from way back in 2011, and it was a long slog through fifteen tracks of lackluster tunes.  From The Very Depths is 14 tracks and its fifteen minutes shorter than Fallen Angels and two of those tracks are brief instrumentals, so there’s only 12 tracks of real material.  The shorter length really helps tighten up the proceedings and, as a result, the album never feels long and has a great flow.  Cronos is the producer and his knob-twiddling efforts result in a superb production that is the best any Venom album has ever had.   The album is packed full of loads of mid-paced, crushing songs such as “Smoke,” “Temptation,” “Stigmata,” “Crucified,” “Mephistopheles,” and “Wings Of Valkyrie,”  Check out the video for “Smoke” below:

There are some speedier cuts sprinkled throughout the album to keep things moving along such as the title track, “The Death of Rock N Roll,” “Grinding Teeth,” and “Long Haired Punks.”  Check out the videos for “Long Haired Punks” and "Grinding Teeth" below:

One oddity is the track “Evil Law” which is a groovy mid-paced, stomper that’s apparently sung in Ancient Sumerian?!  I am not so sure I believe that one, but that’s what Conrad Lant is claiming and my Ancient Sumerian Rosetta Stone lessons were lost in the mail, so I guess we’ll just have to take old Cronos at his word. The album closes with the anthemic “Rise” which would make a great opening live track when they hit the road.  Venom is on the bill for the Maryland Deathfest XIV in 2016, so maybe they’ll play some of these new tracks then.   

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The Bottom Line:  Venom has conjured up a surprisingly good album of groove-based thrash, and if that’s your thing you should definitely pick this one up.  It’s clearly superior to all the other modern Venom albums, and it’s great to see them come out with an album that’s this good so late in their career. 

As always, MAKE MINE METAL!

Satan’s Serenade

Night Demon

 Live In The Steel City

Muthas, have you ever seen a band that not only commands the stage, but demands your attention?  That’s what Night Demon did in a tiny club in Pittsburgh on Tuesday June 6^th.  They blazed through a high energy set of absolutely killer tunes as if they were playing in front of a crowd of thousands. Their relentless assault reminded me of when I saw Motorhead for the first time and they absolutely blew me away.

Did they waste any time with pointless chit-chat and rambling nonsense in between songs?  Fuck no.  They played song after song with barely a pause in between.  Night Demon was the physical embodiment of "all killer, no filler!" They didn’t let the lack of monitors affect them in any way - they simply played like they were on stage at Wacken Open Air instead of Gooski’s bar.  They even used a smoke machine and a light show to great effect! When was the last time you saw a band do that in a tiny bar?!

 If you aren’t already aware, they also have a mascot – Rocky – who comes out during the song “The Chalice” – and interacts with the crowd.  It’s hilarious and badass at the same time, and is a great example of Night Demon’s determination to entertain their fans.  In another bid to be fan-friendly, the band keeps merch prices low - $15 shirts – and they offer a great variety of items. When was the last time you saw a tour program and for a mere $8!  They also sell a couple of different patches, a baseball hat, CDs and vinyl – all for great prices.

It was a great night and everyone in the band was gracious enough to sign CDs, vinyl, tour programs, etc.  Jarvis, Brent and Dusty are very approachable and more than wiling to chat with the fans.  Be sure to ask Dusty about the Ultimate Warrior and don’t forget to get Andrew Bansal’s (aka Rocky) autograph!  Also, check out Andrew’s awesome website – Metal Assault. 

Here's the setlist:

Screams In The Night

Full Speed Ahead

Heavy Metal Heat

Lightning To The Nations (Diamond Head cover)

The Howling Man

Curse Of The Damned

Livin’ Dangerous

Mastermind

Ritual

Road Racin’ (Riot cover) (Dedicated to yours truly!)

Ancient Evil

Satan

The Chalice

Save Me Now

Axe Crazy (Jaguar cover)

Night Demon

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  The Bottom Line:  Go see them and buy some damn merch!  These guys are more than deserving of your ducats.  Also, you’d better go see them now before they are in limousines and jets, stylin’ and profilin’! You can find their tour dates here: http://nightdemon.net/tour

As always, MAKE MINE METAL!

From Utah They Came With Iron And Fire

Visigoth – The Revenant King

Metal Blade Records – 2015

Muthas, have you gotten your fill of music about swords, sorcery, warriors, battles, wizards, mammoths, brotherhood, Hyperborea, necromancers, and vengeance? Of course you haven’t!  Who has?  Well, we are all in luck because Visigoth from Salt Lake City, Utah has delivered an album chock full of epic, glory-filled Metal!  To give you an idea of where they are coming from musically, they did a cover of an Omen song on their 2010 demo, and their new album features a ripping cover of Manilla Road’s “Necropolis!”  They have taken these classic sounds and have built their mighty sonic monolith, The Revenant King, on top of it and the result is a kick-ass masterpiece. 

The album is composed of eight original songs and the aforementioned cover tune with a total running time of just over one hour.  Normally we would complain of a seemingly bloated length, but there are absolutely no boring cuts and, as a result, the album actually feels much shorter.  Every original song is a multi-part epic that takes the listener on a sonic adventure to the mythical realms of yore.  Tracks one through four and nine are all new material, and tracks five through eight are re-recordings of demos or EP cuts and the Manilla Road cover. 

The musicianship is top notch with excellent and tasteful guitar work, crunchy bass, booming drums and the superb vocals of Jake Rogers.  In fact, his vocals are what set this album apart from most other Epic Metal bands. The vocals in many Epic Metal albums are marred in some way - weird sounding, nasal, harsh, etc... and make those albums less enjoyable as a result.  That’s not the case here because Jake’s vocals are powerful and have a nice touch of grit that toughens up the band’s sound.  This isn’t some puffy-shirted, rapier-wielding, foppish warbling.  No sir, these vocals are clad in chainmail and wield a battle axe!  Hail and kill!

The opening track, “The Revenant King,” is excellent and is a perfect showcase of what Visigoth is all about.  It’s over eight minutes of Epic Metal that tells the tale of a king slain by treacherous bastards and how he exacts his revenge from beyond the grave.  Spoiler Alert – their flesh is rended from their bones! The band has released a super-cheesy and, therefore, super-awesome video that fits the music perfectly.  Check it out:

I could detail each track, but there’s really no need because every one of them is excellent - from the kickass opener to the nearly ten minute closer “From The Arcane Mists of Prophecy.”  Are you still not sure you want to buy this?  Check out the track “Mammoth Rider” and admit you need to buy this asap!

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The Bottom Line:  This is a stunning collection of Epic Metal with U.S. Power Metal touches and burly vocals.  Crom’s teeth man! Stop being a treacherous dog, join the Iron Brotherhood and buy the damn thing!  

As always, MAKE MINE METAL!

Heavy Metal Heat

Night Demon – Curse Of The Damned

Century Media Records – 2015

Muthas, how many times have you loved a band’s first release, particularly an EP, only to have their subsequent full length follow-up completely suck?  You know the story - a big label gets ahold of the band and grinds all the sharp edges off their previously gritty sound, or the band doesn’t have much good material beyond what they put on the EP.  That brings us to the first full length LP by Night Demon and this time nobody’s going to disappointed!  Curse Of The Damned kicks all sorts of ass and picks right up where the EP left off!  No letdown here! No sir, no way!

If you’re not familiar with Night Demon just imagine the best NWOBHM band playing melodic, hooky Metal with loads of conviction and sincerity.  This isn’t some cynical ploy by some corporation to make a few bucks based on the resurgence of Traditional Metal.  Rather, it’s the product of a band completely dedicated to the DIY ethos of the NWOBHM.  These guys mean it and live it like few bands do anymore.  They are tireless roaddogs and seem willing to play anywhere, anytime no matter how big or small the crowds are.  From European festivals to basement parties in an old house, these guys are out there laying it down.  That’s as Metal as it gets!  But how's the damn LP sound you ask?  Well read on my friend.

The album is crammed full of killer speedballs like “Screams In The Night,” "Run For Your Life," and “Full Speed Ahead,” but also features a couple of longer songs such as “The Howling Man” and “Save Me Now.”  Both of those tracks are excellent but “The Howling Man” is the epic centerpiece of the album with a very cool intro.  Lyrically it’s based on an old Twilight Zone episode of the same name that deals with a man imprisoned in a church.  Spoiler Alert – he’s Satan and it's probably better for all parties if he's kept locked up. Trust me on this one.

The hard rockin’ “Heavy Metal Heat” is a rollicking cut that celebrates both the Metal fans and the bands out there crushing skulls for a living.  Call it cliché but we can’t get enough of songs that extol the glories of Metal and rocking in general.  “Livin’ Dangerous” is another complete party of a tune that  is sure to get any crowd going.  “Curse Of The Damned” is the first single and is an amazing track that initially reminds of “The Zoo” by the Scorpions and then plunges headlong into even more excellence.  Check out a live version below:

Musically the band is tight as hell and their songwriting is top notch.  Jarvis Leatherby’s vocals are excellent and fit the music like a glove.  At some points, he reminds me of Zeeb Parkes of Witchfinder General – particularly during the chorus of “Satan”- but he’s got his own style and displays it magnificently.  His bass playing is very good as well and it’s mixed upfront as it should be.  Brent Woodward’s guitar playing is great and always serves the song - he plays with subtlety or flash depending on what is required.  The drumming by Dustin Squires is also exemplary and helps tie every song together perfectly.  Night Demon is the very definition of a power trio!

Curse Of The Damned will be available in several formats – CD, Vinyl and digital download.  The Vinyl features a cover of Riot’s “Road Racin’” and the download has that cover as well as a re-recording of the song “The Chalice” from their EP.  Century Media has several pre-order packages available and the band is offering an exclusive vinyl edition and a die hard bundle.  You can order that here.

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The Bottom Line:   Curse Of The Damned is all killer no filler, as we old people used to say back in the days of yore.  It’s well worth your coin and I urge all fans of the NWOBHM, Traditional Metal, or just good music in general to go out and buy it.  Don’t suck at life – support Night Demon and their mission to take over the world one listener at a time.  BUY IT!!!!

As always, MAKE MINE METAL!

Metal Is Forever!

Primal Fear – Delivering The Black

Frontiers Records – 2014

Muthas, the ever prolific Primal Fear has unleashed their tenth studio album in just sixteen years and it’s sehr gut!  Delivering The Black features a bumper crop of memorable, anthemic cuts that herald a great return to form.  The band hasn't had any terrible albums, but their material has become a bit formulaic and forgettable in the past several years.  Thankfully, the new album proves that Primal Fear can still (ahem) deliver the goods.      

The album kicks off with “King For A Day” and it’s immediately clear that Primal Fear has stepped up their game on the new record.  The song is speedy, beefy Power Metal that they have specialized in since their debut way back in 1998.  Check out the video for “King For A Day” below for confirmation:

There are many other excellent songs such as the absolutely killer and epic “When Death Comes Knocking,” the amped-up speedball “Rebel Faction” and the anthemic, mid-paced grinder “Alive & On Fire.”  Frankly, there are virtually no songs on the album that aren't excellent. Check out the video for “When Death Comes Knocking” below:

The centerpiece of the album is the amazing and emotional “One Night In December.”  This song will certainly rank among the best tracks in their catalog. I was lucky enough to see the band live on the tour for this album and this song went over great.  The crowd absolutely ate it up and didn't notice that the track was over nine minutes long.  

 

As an aside, this record is a great example of how important sequencing is when it comes to the flow of an album.  Delivering The Black offers up two speedy tracks, then a mid-paced song, followed by three more fast cuts and then they hit you with the nine minute epic.  This is how you do it people!  Grab the listener’s attention right off the bat and then take them on a journey.  If you don’t hook a listener early on, you are probably never going to get them back.  I know I harp on sequencing, but so many albums are ruined by the lack of flow in the modern day. Vinyl at least forced bands to think about how to place tracks for maximum impact, and that’s sorely missing in our benighted digital age. 

The only real clunker on the album is the ballad “Born With a Broken Heart.”  It’s not terrible, but feels like a perfunctory bit of filler. Another minor issue is the song title “Inseminoid” which is cringe-inducing and reminds me of a couple of Roger Corman movies. Egads! I’ll just chalk it up to English being a second language for the band.  The song itself is good though, so that will help you not focus on the absurd song title. 

As mentioned previously, I had the good fortune to see Primal Fear live and the band ripped the roof off the venue.  They sounded great live and gave it their all, even for the paltry crowd of 100 or so that turned out to see them.  They played four songs from the new album and they slotted in great with such staples as “Running In The Dust,” “Chainbreaker” and “Nuclear Fire.”  Go see them if you get the chance.  Ralf approves of this sentiment:

Thumbs Up Pittsburgh!

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The Bottom Line:

Primal Fear have delivered a great slab of Power Metal that will satisfy any Metal fan.  Go out and grab it and don't fear the Inseminoid! (Unless you happen to be in a Roger Corman film.)  

As always, MAKE MINE METAL!   

Heart Clad In Iron, Soul Clad In Steel

Grand Magus – Triumph and Power

Nuclear Blast Records – 2014

Muthas, Grand Magus has returned with their seventh album just a scant 20 months after the release of their last LP.  However, the band has decided to head down the path that leads to the mead hall of heroic epicness, rather than the more hard-rockin’ barroom of their previous album The Hunt.  Triumph and Power is packed with loads of mid-paced, epic tunes that will get your head banging without becoming boring.  Main man JB wasn’t kidding in interviews when he said that this album would have been a huge seller in 1983.  This is 100% pure Scandinavian glory metal from the days of yore! If you were hoping that they’d return to their earlier Doom Metal sound, you will be sorely disappointed.   

The album does have several longer songs and it does take a bit of listening to get into some of them.  Unfortunately this is certainly true of the lead cut, “On Hooves of Gold.” This track seems a bit plodding upon the first listen, and a couple of speedier cuts up front would certainly help with the flow of the album.  However, there are several great mid-paced songs such as the amazing “The Hammer Will Bite” and the superb title track.  Check out the lyric video for “Triumph and Power” for a bit of Viking epicness:

The speedier cuts really shine on this album - “Dominator,” “The Naked and the Dead” and “Holmgang” in particular are good - but the absolute highlight of the album is “Steel vs. Steel.” Of course Grand Magus has no trouble cranking out a crushing song about Elric of Melnibone and his sword Stormbringer!  This song kicks ass with a memorable chorus and is sure to be a concert staple for Grand Magus in the years to come.  

 The lyrical theme of the rest of the tracks deal with tales of Vikings, battles, warriors, Valhalla, Frost Giants and Thor.  These are all worthy topics that certainly match the epic tone of the LP, and would impress even the mighty Heavy Load.  The cover art reflects these themes and is, quite simply, exceptional. It’s easily the best they’ve ever had on one of their albums.  It would make a great subject for a shirt, poster and backpatch.  In fact, the vinyl comes with just such a poster!

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The Bottom Line:  Triumph and Power is an excellent album that is loaded with rock-solid traditional Metal.  It might take a bit to get in to the album, but it’s worth your time and effort.  Pick it up and get the vinyl for that kick-ass artwork!

As always, MAKE MINE METAL!

Down To The Bone

Overkill – White Devil Armory

EOne – 2014

Muthas, guess who’s back with another excellent thrash album?  Megadeth? Metallica? Anthrax?  Of course not. It’s Overkill!  At this point, one begins to wonder where the Overkill tribute albums and documentaries are because this band is so damn reliable.  They never falter and are consistently excellent while their peers wallow is various failed experiments with “mature song writing” or some other bullshit.  How the hell do they keep doing this and why aren't they lauded?  I have no idea but this album will only further burnish their sterling reputation.

White Devil Armory is another disc packed with stone cold classic songs.  Is it better than The Electric Age or Ironbound?  Maybe, but it’s at the very least as good as those modern classics.  You headbangers will delight in smashing tracks like “Down To the Bone,” “Bitter Pill,” “Where There’s Smoke,” and “Freedom Rings.” The pit will really get moving to the crushing “Pig.” Check out the video for "Bitter Pill" below:

There’s a limited edition digipak that contains two bonus tracks – “The Fight Song” and “Miss Misery.”  The first track recalls the song “Old School” from Relixiv and would be a great sing-along cut for live shows.  “Miss Misery” is a Nazereth cover and it features a vocal duet with Mark Tornillo of Accept!  It’s another great song by a band that always delivers the goods when it comes to cover tunes.

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The Bottom Line:

Frankly, reviewing Overkill albums is a bit boring because it’s difficult to keep coming up with reviews that don’t all sound the same.  The album is great, just like the rest of their catalog.  Go out and get the limited edition and go see them live.  This is definitely a band that we should all be supporting.  They are Metal down to the bone!

As always, MAKE MINE METAL! 

Welcome To My World Of Steel

Judas Priest - Redeemer of Souls

Epic Records – 2014

Muthas, the Priest is back! It’s been six long years since the disappointing, turgid mess that was Nostradamus.  In the interim founding member K.K. Downing retired and was replaced by Richie Faulkner. With the loss of one third of the Halford/Tipton/Downing triumvirate would it be possible for Redeemer of Souls to live up to the rest of the Judas Priest catalog?  Believe it or not, it actually does.  This is a damn fine return to form for the band that personifies Heavy Metal. 

Sadly, it takes several listens to get into Redeemer of Souls because of a couple of a few odd choices that the band has made.  Firstly, the mix on this album is garbage.  The guitars are buried in the mix and Halford’s vocals are pushed way up front.  This robs many of the cuts of power and makes them a bit inaccessible upon the first few listens.  Secondly, the sequencing of the album is poor because the first several tracks are nowhere near the best and lack the immediate hooky-ness that can really kick-start an album.  A remix and a re-sequencing would do wonders for Redeemer of Souls. Finally, this is a very long album with the standard version having 13 tracks and the deluxe edition featuring a bonus disc with an additional five songs.  Eighteen tracks is essentially two albums worth of material and is a huge amount of music to digest in a single sitting.

Those criticisms aside, this is probably the best album Priest has released since Painkiller.  Once you get past the okay “Dragonaught” and the ho-hum title track, the album really kicks into gear with “Halls of Valhalla” which should have been the album opener and first single.  “Sword of Damocles,” ”Battle Cry,” and “Metalizer,” are all excellent, speedy cuts. “March of the Damned” is the second single while having a modern sound is a total earworm.  I defy anyone not to get into the amazing riff that is all over this track. “Hell & Back” sounds like it could have been from 1978 and “Cold Blooded” could have been on Screaming For Vengeance.  This album is packed with quality songs throughout. Unfortunately, the album ends with the “Beginning of the End” which is a crap ballad and it should have been left off the album.

The bonus disc features five tracks, four of which are equal to, or better than, the material on the standard album. “Snakebite” is a catchy, sassy, commercial track that recalls the British Steel era.  “Tears of Blood” is a fantastic, emotional song that builds to a great ending, and is the best track of all of the eighteen cuts!  This should have been the centerpiece of the standard album.  “Creatures” is a classic Priest “monster” song like “Nightcrawler” and is damn good.  “Bring It On” is decent and sounds like it was written in the late 70s/early 80s.  Unfortunately, “Never Forget” ends the bonus disc - it’s a horrid, treacly ballad.  Vomitous.

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The Bottom Line:

The mighty Judas Priest has cranked out an excellent album that is overstuffed with metallic goodness.  The Deluxe Edition is worth the coin, and will provide you with hours of quality listens.  So get out there and get it if you haven’t already. 

As always, MAKE MINE METAL! 

Bits, Bobs, Odds & Sods - February 2014

Attic –  The Invocation

Van Records - 2012

Do you like King Diamond and Mercyful Fate? Well, you probably don’t like them as much as the guys in Attic.  Hailing from Germany, the band is probably the best Fate/KD doppelgänger in the history of Metal.  No, they are not helmed by a King, but rather a Meister – Meister Cagliostro.  Guess what?  Cagliostro sports ye old face paint and is a dead ringer for King Diamond!  The songs are about witches, covens, Satan, ghosts, etc… and the only thing that really separates Attic from Mercyful Fate/King Diamond is the guitars, which aren’t as lethally sharp and razor-etched as those of Sherman, Denner or LaRocque.  This is a minor quibble really, and the songs will make you think that you are listening to some long lost King Diamond demos.  If you need a fix of that sound while you wait for some new material from the King, then you could do worse than Attic. Check it out:

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3 Inches of Blood – Warriors of the Great White North

Self Financed - 2014

Tireless road dogs 3 Inches of Blood have just dropped an excellent documentary of a recent tour of their Canadian homeland.  It’s a fifty minute journey with the band through the various stops and shows as they blast ripping Metal to the masses.  It’s a nice insight in to the life of a true touring act that is still accessible to the average fan.  You get to see firsthand that the band works their collective asses off for everything they’ve achieved, and that they certainly aren’t living any kind of rockstar lifestyle. In fact, this documentary is self-financed and you can purchase it from Vimeo for a mere $4.99.  Go buy the damn thing here!  Check it out:

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Blues Pills – Devil Man EP

Nuclear Blast Records - 2014

Have you had enough of the “Occult Rock” albums that have glutted the market recently?  You know, those albums with a female lead singer, occult lyrics and proto-Metal riffs? Thankfully, Blues Pills from Sweden doesn’t have anything to do with that trend, rather they sound like Adele fronting Sabbath or Zeppelin.  Holy shit Elin Larsson (the lead singer) has some of the most amazing pipes I have ever heard!  Her voice is tremendously powerful, and the band plays bluesy, heavy, 70s rock of the best kind.  If you like Zep, Bad Company, Scorpion Child, Black Sabbath etc… then you should definitely pick this four track EP up.  It’s available on CD as well as on a really sweet gatefold 10”.  Check it out:    

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That's it for this month my friends. 

As Always, MAKE MINE METAL!

This Ain't The Summer of Love

Hell – The Age of Nefarious

Nuclear Blast Records – 2013

Muthas, we’re back with a tasty treat of diabolical deliciousness straight outta Hell!  Well actually, it’s a new, four track, mini-LP from the band Hell. The Age of Nefarious features one new track from their second full length Curse & Chapter, and three live tracks from the Bloodstock 2013 festival. 

The new cut “The Age of Nefarious” blasts your ears with rifftacular guitars, theatrical vocals and occult lyrics.  Once again, Hell sounds like a combination of NWOBHM and Mercyful Fate – so no radical changes from 2011’s Human Remains.  The song title and chorus are a spoof on The 5^th Dimension’s “Age of Aquarius,” and lyrically, it skewers the hypocrisy of Christianity.  It’s an excellent track and a great preview of Curse & Chapter.  Check it out below:

The other three songs are all live from Bloodstock 2013 – “On Earth As It Is In Hell,” “Blasphemy And The Master,” and “The Oppressors.” These live cuts sound superb and are a good indicator that Hell delivers in a live setting with no problems. “The Oppressors” kicks much ass in particular and will cause you to revisit Human Remains.  

The Age of Nefarious is offered as a digital download from the usual suspects as well as a 10” mini-LP in various colors. The cool thing about the vinyl is that the A-side is 45 rpm, and the B-side, with the live songs, is in 33 rpm!  Now that’s some vinyl weirdness for ya.

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The Bottom Line: Hell has returned with a ripping lead-off single that will please fans of the NWOBHM, Mercyful Fate and music that doesn’t suck.  Get it and buy Curse & Chapter ASAP.  Your immortal soul will thank you.

As always, MAKE MINE METAL!

Pounding Steel?

U.D.O. – Steelhammer

AFM Records -2013

Muthas, the Teutonic Titan Udo is back with an album of original material following last year’s Live In Sofia and the compilation of rare tracks, Celebrator.  There have been some changes in the lineup with the exit of guitarists Stefan Kaufmann and Igor Gianola.  Kaufmann’s leaving is most surprising considering that he had been with the band for years, and was in Accept with Udo.  Kaufmann was also the producer for the last few U.D.O. albums, and his leaving was potentially disastrous.  So how did Steelhammer turn out?  Did U.D.O. shit the bed or did they rise to the challenge presented by the re-energized Accept?   

Fortunately, the answer is mostly positive.  When Stefan Kaufmann left, he took that horribly shitty and sterile guitar sound with him.  I doubt the guitars on Dominator and Rev-Raptor were ever even plugged into an amp.  The production on Steelhammer is miles better than what Kaufmann had been offering up.  The songs also exhibit a new sense of urgency that seemed to be missing from the last couple of albums. Udo the man, and U.D.O. the band, are nothing if not prolific, and the quality of their output may suffer from their high rate of production.  The couple of years between albums in this case has helped the band make most of these songs razor sharp.

Right off the bat, it’s clear that U.D.O. has renewed passion and vigor, because the first two tracks are good and the third track, “Metal Machine” is excellent.  Check out the video for it below:

Unfortunately, the flow of the album screeches to a halt during the next three tracks.  “Basta Ya” is fine musically, but the song is in Spanish, and frankly, I don’t want to listen to a non-English track.  Next up is the horrific ballad “Heavy Rain.” Udo needs to stop it with these ballads as they just don’t suit his voice at all.  No thanks. Then comes “Devil’s Bite” which has incredibly annoying, cheap-ass sounding keyboard flourishes. We are talking 1982 Casio keyboard here, and that shit is not acceptable. Ever. 

The rest of the album (except for the last track) is vicious, pounding Metal that rips faces off.  Check out “Death Ride,” “Never Cross My Way,” and “Take My Medicine.”  If Udo wants to slow things down he should do more cuts like the mid-paced “Love Becomes A Lie” and not that “Heavy Rain” turd.  Oddly, the last song, “Book of Faith” has a bizarre, almost jazzy intro and should have been cut from the album as it's kind of a clunker.  

The only other criticism is that the album is simply too long at fourteen tracks, and would have benefited from some judicious pruning.  Chop out “Basta Ya,” “Heavy Rain,” “Devil’s Bite,” and “Book of Faith” and put them on one of those EPs that AFM is so fond of churning out, and the resulting album would have been ten tight tracks of excellence. 

The album cover is killer, and very evocative of the music that lurks within its steely confines. Album art and design is sadly neglected in the digital age, but it's still important.  More artists should get their shit together and offer up great artwork like that on Steelhammer. Thankfully, that stupid clown/juggalo/whateverthefuck mascot that started with Mastercutor is history. Fuck that guy.

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The Bottom Line:  U.D.O. have released their best album since 1999s Holy, with great production and many cuts of anthemic, crushing steel.  It’s great to see them finally answer the challenge presented by the last couple of Accept albums.  Buy it.

Metal Is On The Rise!

Night Demon – Night Demon

Independent Release – 2012

Muthas, every once in a great while, a new band blasts onto the scene from seemingly nowhere and vaults to the head of the pack. Such is the case with Night Demon and their eponymous debut EP. This all-killer, no-filler thirteen minutes and fifty-five seconds of pure steel, is the best EP we’ve heard in ages. It’s not just The Metal Blog of Metal that thinks this, because Night Demon has already been invited to play the Keep It True festival! They have only released four songs in their entire career, and they are already playing KIT! 

Also, Night Demon is only a three piece band with Jarvis Leatherby on vox/bass, Brent Woodward on guitar and John Crerar on drums. Woodward rips it up on the guitar, Crerar is pounding away like Thunderstick and Jarvis sounds like Sean Harris. Fucking amazing power trio!

So what does this EP sound like? Quite simply, it sounds like the best NWOBHM record that you’ve never heard. Upon hearing this gem, you would swear that this was released in 1980 on Neat Records, and not an independent release in 2012 by a band from Ventura, California. Imagine Diamond Head, Grim Reaper, and D’ianno-era Maiden all mixed together and you can get an idea of the awesomeness. 

The EP kicks off with the blasting rip-ride of “Night Demon” where the band declares that they are coming to destroy your town with the power of Metal. Yes, please. “The Chalice” is a mid-paced, epic track with a tasty, grinding guitar tone. “Ancient Evil” is a galloping cut that recalls the excellence of  Grim Reaper and features lyrics about Cthulhu.  Hell yes!  “The Ritual” closes out the EP with searing guitar riffs, pummeling drums and more superb vocals from Leatherby. 

The band actually has a video for “Night Demon” on YouTube. Check it out below:

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The Bottom Line: This EP kicks ass, and you should buy it. Right now you can download it from Night Demon’s website: http://nightdemon.net/fr_demonslair.cfm  If you need a physical release, the good folks at Shadow Kingdom Records are putting out the EP on CD with remastered sound on 08/06/2013.  Also, the EP is being released on vinyl by Reinig Records and cassette(!) by 7^th Pact Records. What you should do right now is buy the $5 download as well as a $12 shirt, so the band can continue producing top notch Metal. Don’t be a shitheel.

As Always, MAKE MINE METAL!

10 Inches of Doom!

Orchid – Wizard of War

Nuclear Blast Records – 2013

Muthas, the band that can do no wrong is back with a sweet 10” vinyl EP that features their new song, “Wizard of War.” This is a pre-release track from Orchid’s greatly anticipated second LP, The Mouths of Madness.  So, did Orchid shit the bed and succumb to pressure from their new label and change their sound?  Of course not!

The EP contains three tracks of doomy perfection straight out of some dreary, mist-shrouded graveyard.  Starting things off is the ripping title track, which cranks the tempo up and conjures images of interstellar destruction, madness and tyranny.  In other words, the kids can dance to it!  Uh, maybe not, but they certainly bang their heads to it. Check it out:

The second cut finds the band stretching themselves a bit and incorporating some early Alice Cooper sounds on the creepy “Demon’s Eyes.”  It’s a kickass mid-paced tune that is stuffed full of hooks and a memorable chorus.  It was previously released on the Grave Command: All Hallowed Hymns compilation from Unseen Forces last year, but this is the first widely available release of the song.  Take a listen:

The final track was previously released on the Capricorn album “Albatross.”  It’s a somber, spacey song that recalls “Planet Caravan.”  One huge difference between this and “Caravan” is the lyrical content.  “Planet Caravan” was about floating around the cosmos making love to your girl, but “Albatross” is about fleeing the Earth and settling Mars, only to have the Sun snuffed out by the dopes left on Earth. Bastards!  The Mars relocation plan was a dismal failure, but this song is excellent. 

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The Bottom Line:  Orchid have once again offered up a killer EP to placate the faithful until April 26^th when The Mouths of Madness kicks the Metal world straight in its ass.  If vinyl is your thing, get out there and buy one.  If you like downloads and have no soul, you can download the title track from the usual suspects.  If you like CDs, you are shit out of luck.  Sorry man.

As always, MAKE MINE METAL!