Self-Release/Idependent
2014
"God Gold and Glory", which is a concept album about Spanish conqueror Hernán Corté, is the third full-length studio album from traditional heavy metal/ power metal band Salvación. Formed in 2009 by Carlos Sergio Denogean (drums, lyrics, concepts and gang vocals) and childhood friend Nicky Love Sponsel (vocals, guitar, bass, organ, E-Bow), and hailing from the last pace on Earth where someone would expect to find a band like this (Wilmington, North Carolina), the band released their debut album, "Going To Hell", in 2010. Followed by "Way More Unstoppable" in 2011, which is oddly enough also the title of the last cut on "God Gold and Glory", the band has evolved from their humble hard rock and heavy metal beginnings ("Going To Hell", while an excellent release in it's own right*, lacks the overall power, style and flair that is found on "God Gold and Glory") into a band begging well deserving of being heard by a wider audience! After the atmosphere is properly set by "Take Overture" (at 1:15 in length it allows the listener a chance to be transported back in time when the fall of the Aztec Empire was eminent!) the band proceeds to kick things up a notch or two with the urgent "Fortune". Falling somewhere between British metal (Judas Priest, Saxon) and German metal (Helloween, Running Wild) this three minute plus slab of power metal is pure gold as is the following track number, "Obsidian Knife"! Meanwhile "Stroke Of Luck" seems to favor the band's early roots while "Gambler's Throw" (featuring a simply fantastic, Judas Priest-like guitar solo, from Ian Millard who recorded "God Gold and Glory") could have easily been penned with Rob Halford and company in mind! "Satan Shame And Steel", which was an early favorite to win the best track on "God Gold and Glory"(!), is like a supercharged Black Sabbath as interpreted by "Painkiller"-era Judas Priest. And yes, that is as awesome as if sounds on paper! If not more so! Moving on, "Savage Reprisal", like the previously mentioned "Stroke Of Luck", is straight up hard rock which features a killer guitar solo from fellow Wilmington, North Carolina-native Dan Todd! And speaking of guests, "Way More Unstoppable" (the album's speed metal/power metal-tinged closing track and another fave track of mine!) features Ozzie Darden (Children of the Reptile, ex-The Disasters, ex-Death
Machine Weapons), Sean Buchanan (North Carolina-based Colossus) and Peter Lemieux (Praetorius, Viper, Widow) sharing lead vocals! With it's splendid production (courtesy of Carlos Denogean, Nicholas Sponsel and Ian Millardon) and the awesome album-art pictured above (provided by the amazing hands of Yannick Bouchard) only adding to the overall appeal of "God Gold and Glory" one can't help but wonder where this act has been hiding over the past few years? You can find out more about these self-dubbed "Defenders of the of the Heavy Metal Faith!" at the link below and if you're a fan of guitar-driven power metal then be sure to pick up a copy of "God Gold and Glory"!
https://www.facebook.com/salvacionrocks
*After listening to "God Gold and Glory" I went back and listened to "Going To Hell" out of curiosity.
"Hailing from the last place on Earth where someone would expect to find a band like this - Wilmington, North Carolina." What a shitty thing to put in print. You ever been to Wilmington? Can you name a handful of bands from this area? Next time you think its cute to insult a town, do a little research before making a blanket statement so uninformed and derogatory. Or, just be a human being a have some tact. You clearly don't know shit about the bands or the music scene in Wilmington.
ReplyDeleteI do know trolls when I see them and you Brian are king of them!
ReplyDeleteI like the cover a lot.
ReplyDeleteI like the cover a lot.
ReplyDelete