Death Magic-Too Hot to Roll

Shadow Kingdom Records
2015

"Too Hot to Roll" is the debut EP from Italian heavy/speed metal band Death Magic. It was originally released back in September of 2013 as a independent recording and preceded in life by the single "Street Killer". Earlier this year Shadow Kingdom Records re-issued "Too Hot to Roll" on cassette tape and made this 30 minute EP available as a digital download . What's more, Shadow Kingdom Records has this official Death Magic t-shirt in their store and if you ask me it is every-bit as wicked as this EP is!

Practically-speaking , "Too Hot to Roll" is one part eighties metal to one part N.W.O.B.H.M. That's the formula in a nutshell. With the exception of guitarist/vocalist Mattia Scifo's Italian accent the band Death Magic sounds more British than their native country would lead you to believe. None of which is a bad thing although it will be interesting to hear new Death Magic material now that Mattia Scifo has been replaced by  Beppe Brugnano (ex-Veil, ex-Walpurgis Night). Otherwise I like what this band has to offer. If you are a fan of classic/eighties metal (Accept, Black Death, Cutty Sark, Exciter, King Diamond, Judas Priest, Liege Lord, Savage Grace, etc.) and/or the more "traditional" sounds of the N.W.O.B.H.M. scene (stuff like Iron Maiden, Jaguar and even Raven) then chances are you'll like it to! In addition to the aforementioned "Street Killer", the EP's title track and a brief instrumental opener called "Rod to Neverland", "Too Hot to Roll" features the epic "Neverland" with a run-time of nine minutes and twenty three seconds and the very cool "Thunder and Fire". When you combine all of these slick cuts you end up with a grand example of the way heavy metal used to be. With it's fast guitars and thunder-struck rhythm section the short and sweet "Too Hot to Roll" is ever bit as good as those classic recordings of yesteryear. I hear what you're saying though. "What makes this Italian band stand out from all of the countless other retro-loving bands?" you're asking. The major difference between Death Magic and other similarly-themed heavy metal bands of this day and age is authenticity. While other bands sound as if they are going through the motions Death Magic sounds as if they have been plucked right out of the eighties and then deposited right into your lap! "Too Hot to roll" not only sounds like 1980 something all over again, but it passes the taste test to boot! You can just about reach out and touch those high-flying days of old and relive a time when heavy metal was making the jump from underground clubs and basement gigs to huge arenas vie the mainstream! It's like the tape-trading days all over again and all I can say to those in charge of releasing albums like this is "Please sir, may I have another HUGE slice of Metal F**Kin' fury!!!!!". Yeah....

For more information on this up-and-coming heavy/speed metal band be sure to check out their Facebook page here