Booze Control-The Lizard Rider

Infernö Records
2016

Booze Control is a four-piece German heavy metal band that features three former members of the group Shepherd's Guns. Formed in September of 2009 and citing Iron Maiden, Angel Witch, Warlord and (early) Helloween as their initial sources of influence, Booze Control is now on their third full-length album with the interestingly-named "The Lizard Rider". Vocalist/guitarist David Kuri fronts this N.W.O.T.H.M. band that made it's first appearance in October of 2009 with the 16 minute EP, "Wanted". With another key influence being classic Judas Priest, Booze Control was last heard from in December of 2013 with the full-length album "Heavy Metal". Meanwhile the other three members of Booze Control are Jendrik Seiler (guitar), Steffen Kurth (bass), and Lauritz Jilge (drums). Now, before we move onto the subject of  the strong "The Lizard Rider" it would probably be a good ideal to address the huge elephant that's hanging out in the room. Once again it is time to play everyone's favorite game, Good Bands with Bad Names. OK, maybe that is a bit of a stretch. This German heavy metal band's name isn't so much bad as it is.....sobering. As someone who just loves hard cider, wine and above all vodka(!), Booze Control's name is a bitter pill to swollen. It brings up horrific thoughts of alcohol suppression and nobody in their right mind want's that! I'm (somewhat) kidding with that observation, but I am being 100% serious when I say this next bit. Packed with all sorts of vivid imagery and featuring a full album's worth of N.W.O.B.H.M.-infused heavy metal that is really something else, Booze Control's "The Lizard Rider" is a spirited showing from one up-and-coming German metal band that seems to have been custom ordered with  your everyday metalhead in mind! Strong as steel and no doubt hungry for success, Booze Control is a band that plays tried and true heavy metal for the working man and they are bound to only get better with each passing day. For this Braunschweig, Lower Saxony-based band the group Iron Maiden is as good a starting point of reference of any, but to their credit the members of Booze Control really do strive for originality. Even if there are some sweet ass solos here that Iron Maiden fans should totally dig, "The Lizard Rider" is far from some carbon copy of "The Number of the Beast". Given the album's (ever so slight) speed metal vibe and this band's ability to infuse some much-needed modern touches here and there, "The Lizard Rider" is it's own beast. That's a rare distinction for N.W.O.T.H.M. bands these days. In a world where new cookie-cutter versions of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest seem to pop up overnight, Booze Control has put out an album that draws from the greats while putting it's own spin on things. I really enjoyed "The Lizard Rider" so it looks like I will have to check out Booze Control's other two albums....