Dexter Ward-Neon Lights

Iron On Iron
2011


Where have these guys been all my life? If there is such a thing as pure heavy metal then "Neon Lights" fits that bill. This Greek heavy metal band were formed in 2009 and took their name from a character in a novel written by HP Lovecraft in 1927. Dexter Ward features members who spent time in Battleroar where they obviously honed their skills. When I first stumbled across this album (on a blog I frequent quite often-Stay Heavy) I did a quick search on the band to see what I could dig up. I was quite surprised that no one seems to have reviewed the album even though it seems to have made the rounds on various free-share sites. Needless to say this is rather weird considering how straight up this album is in regards to classic heavy metal. Sure there are bits and pieces of speed metal and power metal typical of new retro worship bands. Not that I would place Dexter Ward into a retro-loving category though. No, their sound is modern and doesn't just come across as a new version of an old classic. Instead "Neon Lights" is classic heavy metal for 2011. The production is spot on and the playing is professional without morphing into neo-classical worship. I've tried thinking up bands to compare Dexter Ward to. The best examples would be bands like Culprit or Cites although there is more of a almost European flavor to the act. Maybe take Culprit, Cites and similar traditional metal bands like Metal Church and add some Iron Maiden and Judas Priest? Even then Dexter Ward don't work quite like that. Maybe some references to cult eighties bands like Phantom and Ray Gunn are in order? Either way "Neon Lights" is refreshing heavy metal and an album I'm so glad to have found. I've already listened to it several times over and thank the heavens that modern metal hasn't killed these sort of bands off.