Saturday Singles: Snowy Shaw-"Fire" and Sleepy Hollow-"Bound By Blood"

 It's been awhile since I last did a Saturday Singles feature so for that I do apologize. To make it up to all of my faithful followers (all half dozen of you!) I would like to present two songs that have personally been rocking my days and nights! First up is Snowy Shaw (Cans, Mad Architect, Notre Dame, ex-Illwill, XXX, Maryann Cotton (live), ex-Dream Evil, ex-King Diamond, ex-Nightrage (live), ex-Sabaton (live), ex-Scheepers (live), ex-Therion (live), ex-Mercyful Fate, ex-Memento Mori, ex-Colossus (live), ex-K2, ex-Loud N'Nasty, ex-Them Sluts! (live) and ex-Snowy Shaw and the Star-Spangled Banned) with his take on a all-time favorite of mine and then we will have a new cut from traditional heavy metal outfit Sleepy Hollow. Enjoy!

Wunderwurld Music
2014

Snowy Shaw is pretty well-known within metal circles thanks to his involvement with King Diamond and Merciful Fate as well as Dream Evil. With "Fire" Snowy Shaw pays tribute to the one and only Arthur Brown and if you are old enough and weird enough like I am you might remember hearing the original version of this on Dr. Demento back in the day! Originally released in 1968(!), "Fire" was issued as a single and it also appeared on the album "The Crazy World of Arthur Brown". With the opening line "I am the god of hell fire and I bring you...FIRE!" becoming a well known catchphrase this dark and twisted psychedelic rock number would go on to be covered by everyone from The Ventures to God Dethroned! What I like about Snowy Shaw's version is how well this one-time drummer turned front-man captures the spirit of Arthur Brown while simultaneously giving it modern shock rock makeover that is part Rob Zombie and part King Diamond! The video version below was captured live in Sweden on Halloween 2012 and it is taken from the "Snowy Shaw Live DVD/CD Box, The Liveshow: 25 Years Of Madness In The Name Of Metal." which can be found here:http://shop.textalk.se/en/shop.php?id=25422

Pure Steel Records
2014

Next up we have traditional/power metal band (and Heavy Metal Time Machine fave!) Sleepy Hollow with their brand new single "Bound By Blood". This is first single from the band's as yet untitled 2015 release and since we last checked in with this band (http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2012/03/sleepy-hollow-skull-13.html) there has been a few changes in personnel. Unfortunately "Due to personal differences and scheduling" Sleepy Hollow and vocalist Bob Mitchell have decided to part ways. That's a big time bummer. Fortunately for Sleepy Hollow and their fans the gods of metal stepped right in and new lead vocalist Chapel Stormcrow (Altar Of Dagon) sounds downright killer on "Bound By Blood"! As does the band's new bass player Rich Fuester who is also of Altar Of Dagon fame! While the doom metal influences of Chapel and Rich's other band will fit in nicely with Sleepy Hollow's new direction it's a bit odd to consider that Altar Of Dagon evolved out of a melodic death metal band called Alazith! Credit has to go to guitarist Steve Stegg then as he was able to see the perfect picture that would be created by these new additions. Steve made the right call with Sleepy Hollow's new vocalist and bass player as "Bound By Blood" feels like empowered Sleepy Hollow with a tougher attitude and a darker edge! With Sleepy Hollow reportedly busy at Dirge studios in Newark, DE recording 11 tracks in all for their 2015 follow-up to "Skull 13" (an album that I will jump all over once it hits the open market!) one has to imagine that Steve Stegg and company will deliver a fantastic new album next year!
https://www.facebook.com/sleepyhollowmetal 

A Sound of Thunder-The Lesser Key of Solomon

Mad Neptune Records
2014

On September 9th Washington, DC-based A Sound of Thunder will release their fourth full-length album "The Lesser Key of Solomon". Up front the obvious must be stated. If ever there was proof that one does not necessarily need the backing of a major label to achieve success then it would have to be this female-fronted band and their Kickstarter-funded new LP! Produced by Kevin '131' Gutierrez (While Heaven Wept, Raven, Shinedown) and funded in big part by the "Legion of Thunder" (A Sounder of Thunder's loyal fan base) "The Lesser Key of Solomon" will be released on the group's own label and for members Nina Osegueda (vocals), Josh Schwartz (guitar), Jesse Keen (bass, keyboards) and Chris Haren (drums) this phenomenal album isn't just as good as it gets for the band, but rather it serves as the group's defying moment while further proving just how criminally underrated this four-piece is! After the release of group's "Time's Arrow" (an album which made my best-off list for 2013!) it would have seemed hard to fathom that this progressive power metal band could have possibly bested it. But, here it is and with it's genre-defying mix of all things hard and heavy (it's not just progressive power metal anymore folks, but traditional heavy metal, speed metal, melodic metal, dark metal, symphonic metal and even hard rock!) and it's overall dark vibe "The Lesser Key of Solomon" leaves me thinking that not only will it make this year's list, but it might just top the list! Classically-trained vocalist Nina Osegueda, who has rightly been described as "the love child of Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson", sounds better then ever as she stretches her voice to new heights! On "Udoroth" (a number that was previously released as a Kickstarter exclusive) she end's up leading the band through epic metal territory and yet she masterfully switches things up on the beautiful (Doro-ish) "The Boy Who could Fly". And then there is atmospheric "One Empty Grave". I'm at a loss when it comes to fully spelling out the power of this gripping number. It's wonderfully mysterious and for Nina it stands at a moment when all the stars align. At this point in the game Nina has the world at her fingertips as he leaves the listener spellbound by her alluring voice. To be fair it helps tremendously when you're teamed up with skilled musicians like Schwartz, Keen and Haren who combine their creative efforts in order to give their lead singer an ever-expansive stage upon which she can perform. This trio is instrumental (no pun intended!) in making sure that number's as different as "Elijah" (Savatage meets Dio while Merciful Fate looks on? Maybe. Only here there is so much more going on!), "Master of Pain" (sweet Dio worship!) and the heavy, power metal track "Black Secrets" all retain that one distinctive sound that is undeniably their own! With 10-tracks total (all of which are tied together thanks to this album's supernatural themes) "The Lesser Key of Solomon" has so much to offer longstanding fans of the group as well as newcomers. Ending with the eight-minute plus "House of Bones", which is one cut where the band elegantly lays their open hearts out for all to examine, A Sound of Thunder (or "ASoT" as their known to fans) has recorded the most versatile album that one could have only dreamed of and whether you can lay a definitive tag at feet of this motivational band or not isn't much of a problem. The real problem is having to wait until September 9th in order to have the whole package (music, booklet, stunning artwork, etc.) come in it's physical form!

https://www.facebook.com/ASoundOfThunder

Want to have your own copy of this spectacular metal masterpiece? If so then head to the link below to pre-order "The Lesser Key of Solomon".

 http://www.asoundofthunder.bigcartel.com/

Devil Childe (2014 Re-Release)

Minotauro Records
2014

Mark this down as my third(!) attempt at doing the write-up for the (long-overdo to be released "officially" on CD if you ask me!) re-release of Jack Starr's Devil Childe. Why you may ask? Well, for whatever reasons, my first attempt was foiled by the fact that it still way too early in the morning when I started the write-up and, as I've been dealing with a household full of sick people and therefore a lack of sleep on my end, it made little to no sense! The second one though was about spot-on, but then a wasp, yes, a BIG, UGLY and "Man alive does that thing ever looked pissed!" MEAN, landed on my keyboard and (sometime after freaking out and spilling coffee on my self and said keyboard!) I managed to delete the whole review! So, after cleaning myself up I'm on take number three of the 1985, seven-track "Devil Childe"! Hopefully the gods of rock and roll and (naturally) HEAVY METAL will look kindly upon me and the third time will be the charm! One can only hope! So, with all of that out of the way who, or better yet, what was Devil Childe? Well, the story goes something like this. Back in the day (early eighties) Jack Starr, who should really need no introduction at all at this point in time (what with time spent in Virgin Steele and Burning Starr!), was playing with his post-Virgin Steele outfit Burning Starr when he stumbled upon the idea of recording a thrash album! It seems that his band (Burning Starr) would have band rehearsals where they would start off (getting loose and lethal no doubt!) by jamming on material like Motörhead's "Ace Of Spades". So, Jack (here dubbed as Lucifer) ended up together with two talented musicians* and, after (reportedly) spending less then 12 hours in the studio and a budget of no more then $200, we get "Devil Childe". While there were two other release** recorded around the same time and with the same line-up (see below) we are just going to be talking about this one today. Just this (wicked and wonderful and so so raw!) one. With a bunch of ideas spawned from Jack's more "primal side" and a few contributions from the group's drummer/vocalist "Matthew Hopkins" (again, see below!) the three "metal maniacs" whipped out a cozy little (raw) gem of an album! Did I mention that this shit is raw? Yes? Well, good because it is. And all the better for it! As the album was "dedicated to true headbangers who hate false Metal magazines" and pretty much composed of on the spot one shouldn't expect majestic passages or long, over-technical leads. Instead this is heavy metal garage-style that borders on near thrash. It's somewhat sloppy, but never in any sort of Venom sort of way. I'd argue that all in all this is just heavy metal as it would have sounded coming from the underground scene of the early eighties where influences like Raven, Tank, Venom and all-things Lemmy would have meshed with everything from Metallica to Black Sabbath! Now, although this re-release is presented as is, bare-bones and all (meaning no bonus material sadly) it is still a great pick up especially as this marks the first time that this has seen an officially CD release! For fans of 80's metal and/or Jack Starr this one seems like a no-brainer all around!

* Vocalist/drummer/living-legend Joe Hasselvander (here going under the name of Matthew Hopkins who was a well-known English witch-hunter) is perfectly suited in both roles. In some ways he reminds me (as does the record as a whole really) of C.O.C.'s "Animosity" or rather bassist Mike Dean. Besides Devil Childe Joe has quite the extensive resume as evident by the list posted over at the Metal Archives! Bands that he (presently) plays in include Raven, The Hounds of Hasselvander and Joe Hasselvander while this talented musician has previously played with Guardians of the Flame, Phantom Lord, Death Row, Black Manta, Pentagram, Jack Starr's Burning Starr (live), Armageddon, Reactor, Cathedral (live), Blue Cheer, Forgotten Realm, Overlord, The Boyz and even White Lion!

Meanwhile bass duties fell on Ned Meloni (Jack Starr's Burning Starr, Reverence, ex-Guardians of the Flame, ex-Phantom Lord, ex-Rhed Asphalt) otherwise known as (for this recording) Anton Phibes. Anton Phibes of course being the same character from the movies "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" and "Dr. Phibes Rises Again!" as made famous  by the one and only Vincent Price. 

** They were the Phantom Lord LP and Joe Hasselvander's "Lady Killer".

Defyance-Voices Within (2014 Re-Release)

Minotauro Records
2014

Originally self-released in 1992, with a 4-track self-recorded/self-titled (as Defiance, the first spelling before the apparent switch) demo having proceeded it by three or so years, "Voices Within" was the first "full-length" recording from Knoxville, Iowa-based Defyance. It's also the first of three new Defyance re-releases from the fine folks at Minotauro Records that I plan to cover (the other two being 1996's "Amaranthine" and 1999's (quite-brilliant) "Time Lost"). Formed by three teenagers in 1985 (guitarists Brent Scott & Marcus Peterson and drummer Doug Beary) and initially going by the (rather unfitting) name Fallen Angel, Defyance found two like-minded individuals to fill out their ranks in vocalist Brian Harrington and bassist John Parrish. Before long the group recorded their first demo, off of which three tracks ("Gypsy", which was an early favorite on local rock radio, "Love's a Bitch", and "Rebel Without a Cause") have been plundered for this collection. The forth track off of said demo was "Second Death", but seeing as the song was included on "Voices Within" we are treated to that version instead. And speaking of which, this is the first time that "Voices Within" has been made available to the public on CD! While there was 300 copies of "Voices Within" released on cassette and 30 copies did show up on CD in 1993 (as special gifts to a select number of people who requested them-both the original cassette and original CD are no doubt highly sought-after collector's items!) this really is the first time that the majority of Defyance fans will get the pleasure of hearing both the demo and "Voices Within". Considering the fact that both sets of recordings were made on a shoestring budget it is all the more impressive how well these songs have held up! Especially seeing as it is the 25th anniversary since this Iowa band first released a self-financed tape back in 1989! Since I'm approaching this first Defyance review of three from the view-point of someone previously familiar with their work (or at least the recordings after "Voices Within"!) it's easy-enough (especially in hindsight!) to hear this band's roots and then envision how this band was able to (naturally) evolve. While I don't want to give away too many spoilers here, let's just say that this young band would eventually reach the stand-point in it's (as far as I'm concerned far-too short!) career where all that was righteous about progressive metal came poring out of their hands! On these tracks the foundation is there although (enjoyably enough!) most of these tracks come across more like straight-ahead hard & heavy metal like the (early) Mötley Crüe-infused rocker "Devil's Daughter", "Goodbye" (with it's simply enjoyable Randy Rhodes' inspired guitar playing this one is nice even for a slower cut!), "Rebel Without a Cause" (solo Ozzy influence?) and "Gypsy" (more Rhodes' like guitar playing!). The power ballad "To Your Heart" actually recalls Queensrÿche at times while both "I Burn for You" and the excellent (religious-themed) "Second Death" sound as if they come from the all things loud & proud (Fifth Angel, Ozzy, Judas Priest, Accept, Iron Maiden and Grim Reaper) school of rock! All of these tracks, yes, even the early demo cut of (raw-rocker) "Love's a Bitch", show the promise of what's to come from this one-time heavy/power metal act that (like fine wine) simply got better with age! You can find out more about this re-release at Minotauro Record's website below or at the official website of Defyance right here: http://www.defyance.com/

http://www.minotaurorecords.com/

Salvación-God Gold and Glory

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. 

Blade Killer-Blade Killer

Stormspell Records
2014

Stormspell Records has yet to steer me wrong when it comes to the high quality of their releases and with their latest signing their perfect track record continues on into 2014! Formed in 2012, and hailing from Los Angeles California of all places(!), Blade Killer are another young act floating (or is it flirting?) the fine line that exists between traditional heavy metal (80's style of course!) and N.W.O.B.H.M. Have no fear though as this is not just another White Wizard or Enforcer (or for that matter about 2/3 of the bands that appeared on Earache Records 2009 compilation "Heavy Metal Killers"). Not even close. Here we have another shining example of how to do it and do it right. There's nothing retro about this act, which is incidentally lead into combat by the very capable Carlos Gutierrez*, and it's never a case on this recently-released EP where you walk away with the impression that Blade Killer is just playing a part or something. Rather this is a band paying homage to the greats (chief among them would have to be early Iron Maiden) while staying true to the notion that they are (first and foremost) A) A real band brought together through an obvious shared love of great heavy metal and B) Not a bunch of musicians simply trying to catch up to and jump aboard the already-overcrowded/please let it crash soon bandwagon that lies at the very heart of retro-worship. For most retro-worship bands wouldn't bleed real blood if you cut them (or for that matter owe a debt to the likes of Tokyo Blade, Tygers of Pan Tang and Cloven Hoof!), but if you were to cut this bunch? I have no doubt that you'd find that heavy metal, real heavy metal and not the retro-worship fluff, was/is encoded in their D.N.A. like many of the greats that have come before them! Now, besides Carlos Gutierrez (whose voice is heavily drenched in all things eighties metal while also reflecting a bit of the rougher grit that made some of those early nineties hard rock/heavy metal bands so appealing) Blade Killer has two former members of defunct California thrash band Armory (guitarists Jon Rubio and Jay Vazquez) and features ex-Unholy Lust bassist Kelsey Wilson. As no drummer is mentioned I'll just assume that this L.A.-based act simply dug up the remains of several deceased eighties metal drummers and, after first (carefully) assembling the perfect studio drummer (using duct tape and guitar strings to hold him/her together), used a combination of black magic and lighting to bring said individual/metal monster back to life in order to (properly) fill the drum stool! That could happen right? Anyway, getting back to the task at hand (ie: what makes up the bulk this cool, 13 plus minutes, 4-track heavy metal EP!) and, besides the likes of Iron Maiden, Tokyo Blade, Tygers of Pan Tang and Cloven Hoof, the material here reminds me at times of French bands like Warning, Satan Jokers, Nightmare, High Power and (specifically) Sortilège. In fact it wouldn't surprise me at all if I was to find out that Blade Killer took their name from the English version of Sortilège's "Bourreau"! But, that's neither here nor there and really it's a conversation better suited for another day. For now I'll just get back to my initial point that Stormspell Records has a real winner on their hands with Blade Killer. Of the four cuts here on the band's self-titled EP my favorite is probably "Raise Your Fist" although it's closely followed by the hard-driving title cut! But really all four of these cuts are just too good to pass up. "Made of Steel", as with the other three tracks present here, features the same kind of twin guitar attack that makes fans of eighties heavy metal (Iron Maiden/Judas Priest) all giddy inside. Meanwhile "Don't Hold Back (Break Away)" offers an uncensored look at the gritty underbelly of underground heavy metal and yes, it does make you want to take a walk back over to the dark side of town where these kinds of bands would have rocked the foundations off of many a small club/bingo hall back in the mid-eighties (and we all loved 'em for doing it!). If this EP is just a sneak peek at what this California band has to offer down the line then fans/collectors of true heavy metal (and yes, as always boys and girls, I count myself in both groups thank you very much!)  may just be looking at their favorite new band/obsession! With releases like this 2014 is going to be every bit as good as 2013 was when it comes to good, old fashioned, well-love and never-forgotten, heavy metal!


*If the name sounds familiar it is because Carlos, in addition to being a former member of the brutal band Sodomizing the Dead, is the drummer for Norwalk, California thrash act Fueled By Fire!

http://stormspell.bigcartel.com/product/blade-killer-blade-killer-ep

Midnight Eye-Nightmonger EP

Self-Release/Independent
2013

We all known the old saying that good things come in small packages. A prime example of this would have to be the latest release from Midnight Eye. With only 3-track's this EP is admittedly short. It runs only 19 minutes in length but Midnight Eye, who were formed in 2010 and hail from Washington, D.C (which we won't hold against them!), make the most of such a short amount time and provide the listener with a tantalizing blend of N.W.O.B.H.M. influences and U.S. power metal that's a mere spitting distance away from being full-on thrash! On their new 3-song EP "Nightmonger", which appears as it it might be a digital download and nothing more, we find vocalist/guitarist Simon Callahan and cohorts (guitarist Jaime Ibacache, bassist Will Rzad and drummer Alex Tomlin)proving that good things can still be found in Washington, D.C. (I know, another snide remark about our nation's capital! What gives?). Now, this isn't Midnight Eye's first rodeo ride as they also have a 2010 demo and a full-length release in the form of 2012's "Sign" (also self-released). Whether those stack up next to this 3-track EP though is not something I'd want to make a guess about so let's just roll with what we've got and talk about this little beauty and what it has to offer. Besides rocking out N.W.O.B.H.M.-infused power metal (and doing it so well thank you very much!) the band offers up a wide-range of vocals (harsh and clean with additional moments where our friend Simon goes all King Diamond on everyone!) and rips a whole in the sky! Well, maybe not literally, but sweeping heavy metal like this with it's "Take it or leave it" attitude and "Take no prisoners and take no shit" delivery is just flat-out cool. And sometimes cool is all it takes my friends!


http://midnighteye.bandcamp.com/album/nightmonger

Volture-On the Edge

High Roller Records
2013

Richmond, Virginia's heavy metal act Volture, who are releasing their first full-length album with "On The Edge", is a side-project that was formed in 2008 by bassist Ryan Waste (guitarist for Municipal Waste) and guitarist Nick Poulus (ex-Cannabis Corspe). With the desire to play traditional metal weighing heavy on Ryan's mind, which was something that was not likely to happen anytime soon when it came to his day job with thrash metal/crossover act Municipal Waste, two former members of Immortal Avenger (vocalist Brent Hubbard and drummer Barry Cover) were also enlisted to fill out the ranks. Ryan Waste had played with both Hubbard (who would eventually be replaced by Jack Bauer) and Cover in Immortal Avenger so bringing the pair in was absolute no-brainer on the part of Ryan. After a 2010 split with Sweden's Enforcer serving as an introudction the group would release the 6-track EP, "Shocking Its Prey", in early 2011. Both the EP and the (late 2011) 7" single "Rulebreaker", which saw the addition of  Dave Boyd (Twisted Tower Dire) on second guitar, were well-received by fans and critics alike with comparisons being made to the likes of Diamond Head, Quartz and even Raven. A cover of "Killer Angels" by Gotham City actually appeared on the B-side of the "Rulebreaker" single which further proved to be a none-to subtle statement as to what direction these U.S. rockers would continue to travel in and just who it was that the band considered to be their biggest influences. Now here it is some 2 years later, during which time the band made an appearance at the Keep It True festival (alongside some of their heroes no less!), and we find that Volture has been signed by the fine folks at High Roller Records. Seems like a perfect fit to me. After all we are talking about a metal group that lists the likes of  Heavy Load, Overdrive, Torch, Gotham City, Scratch, Sacrifice (Swe), Mindless Sinner and Sergeant as influences so you know the band has their hearts in the right place if nothing else! Thankfully this talented bunch can play and, better yet, can write meanfull material. That's two positive check marks than this bunch has going for them. With "On The Edge" we're also talking about a band that most certainly likes the more well-known bands of old like Iron Maiden, Satan and Demon as well as some of the not so well-known like Dark Heat, Praying Mantis and Desolation Angels. As Ryan Waste and Nick Poulos reportedly started things off by first sending mix tapes back and forth to each other (featuring some obscure and unknown bands within the 80's metal scene and N.W.O.B.H.M. movement) it sort of makes sense that, unlike bands like Enforcer and Cauldren for example, the musicians involved with Volture's sound come across as much more sincere and true-hearted. Unlike far too many retro metal acts out there today it's that large pool of influences (everyone from Heavy Load to Desolation Angels) that makes Volture stand out. Start to finish this album sounds remarkably real and unpretentious as if this flesh and blood band had been doing things this way since the early-mid eighties! Even when they tip the scale a little bit more towards HEAVIER heavy metal it's almost more like you're listening to a band that's half Anthrax and half Metallica if, and only if, those pieces/parts were more of a straight and narrow traditional metal act. Wow, I just realized that sounds like it's WAY FAR out of left field, but listen to "On the Edge" and maybe, just maybe, you'll hear what I'm hearing. Man, how I wish there were more bands like this that were keeping the spirit of older metal alive without sounding like a bunch of twits while doing it! Well, that and I do wish now that Municipal Waste was the side-project and that Volture was the main band as Volture is some sweet-ass heavy metal! Volture's sound has come from the heart as you can tell that Ryan Waste and company are really huge fans of the bands they choose to honour through their playing. This one is easy to recommend especially if you get as huge of a rush as I do listening to straight, no filler, metal!

Ramming Speed-Doomed To Destroy, Destined To Die

Prosthetic
2013 

Representing Boston, Massachusetts we have the 5-piece act known as Ramming Speed. If you looked at that name and the album art above and said "Now, I betcha that's a full-tilt, boogie-down thrashaholic band right there" then give yourself a golden star! Formed back in 2005 (and originally going by the moniker Despotic Robot) this Boston act owes more to Bay Area thrash (Testament, Megadeth, Exodus, Possessed, Death Angel, etc.) and New York metal (Anthrax, Carnivore, S.O.D., etc.) then anything else. Well, that's not completely true as there might also be a splinter of N.W.O.B.H.M. to be found within this act (It's more along the lines of groups like Avenger, Raven and Venom) and then there's the grindcore influences. Yeah, there's some grindcore. Its not overly prominent, but you can still pick-up on some Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death and Carcass love within these tracks. While all of these different sounds smashed together could have easily ended up as a bloody mess the opposite is true. All of these different pieces fall into place rather nicely and serve to give this act a real D.I.Y. flavor. Or at least when it comes to the music on this LP as the production, which captures the essence of what this 5-piece act is thrashing on about, is much more then some bargain basement quality recording! Rather the recording, which took place at GodCity Studios (With Kurt Ballou (Converge, Kvelertak, Black Breath) sitting behind the producers chair), fits with the music rather splendidly like a well-loved pair of (bloodied) doc martins on a heavy metal thrasher! In addition to it's damn near perfect production job, Brad Boatwright (Sleep, High on Fire, SUNN O))),Tragedy) did a killer job of mastering this (pit-worthy) album over at AudioSiege. So, from one end to the other, everything just keeps busy working together on this heavy platter and the end result is a real, flesh and blood album with that D.I.Y. vibe. And frankly that's what works best about Ramming Speed-that D.I.Y metal mentality! It might not be new or anything fancy when you have bands that draw from everyone from Motörhead to D.R.I. to Slayer, but when it's done with integrity, and yes, an eye locked on both pleasure and perfection, it's a real blast for the listener. Ramming Speed are the kind of band you could easily listen to and feel at home with. Even more, whenever you're in the mood to blow off some serious steam this one custom suites your need for destruction and carnage! In other words you can chill out this LP while you thrash out all thanks to this Boston-based metal act! Bottom line here is this: Ramming Speed rock out with a D.I.Y. outlook and, after you're done getting your brain blasted off by some bone crushing thrashcore, what you end up with in the end is a monster of a LP titled "Doomed To Destroy, Destined To Die"! Without skimping on this review anymore there's not much more to the picture then that...although that's enough for today's scene I'd argue!

Wülfhook-Sacrifice (Demo)

Self-Released/Independent
2012

I won't let the fact that Wülfhook hail from Detroit, Michigan negatively influence my review of their 2012 demo, the 4-track "Sacrifice". Even if they do hail from the home state of the Wolverines, who I hate with a passion,  this Buckeye fan truly appreciates ANY heavy metal band that flat-out shreds. And this 5-piece act, which is lead by the sinister & nasty vocals of Jeff "Sling" Schlinz, brings their A game on demo number three. Having shared the stage with Warbringer, Lazarus A.D., Diamond Plate, and Accept (not too shabby at all) the band is is currently working on material for a proper full length release in 2013. Speaking of Accept, who are of course true legends of heavy metal/thrash, the guys in Wülfhook are breed from the same DNA. That said the band, who are recommended for fans of Judas Priest, King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Helloween and Pantera (per the brief promo that came with this beauty) also tap into the same kind of rough and ready mentality of bands like Motörhead and Tank. In other words this 4-track demo is pure metal for metalheads crafted by a bunch of guys who just scream "METAL!". What more could you possibly ask for?

You can find out more about these hard and heavy rockers at their Facebook page below where, incidentally, you can also download this demo and other material.

https://www.facebook.com/wulfhookband

Invader-Invader

Pure Underground Records
2012

 Pure Underground Records has dug up another gem it looks like. Seattle, Washington's own Invader (who shouldn't be confused with the numerous other bands of the same name) were formed in 1981 and, after knocking out a pair of demos ( FYI-the promo lists only one demo while the Metal Archives lists two...for what it's worth) , released their lone album, this self-titled affair, in 1992. As with a huge chunk of the acts signed to this label this is old-school heavy metal. This 10-track album was originally a  self-released/independent affair. Pure Underground Records offers this album (which stood no chance in 1992 given the grunge movement) in remastered form and, judging by the sound of it, I'd say they did a nice enough job. Interested parties should note that this was the only album that Invader released before calling it a day...that is until this year when the group got back together. Where they go from here remains to be seen so, instead of pondering that question, let's all take a look at this 10-track, 45 minute+ album. The album starts off on a rather unique note with a spoken-word-intro by Alfred Hitchcock! Interesting. From there things move along nicely and eventually we are lead by the hand into...drum roll please...traditional heavy metal territory! The band (bass, keys - Dan Hulford, drums - Scott Kasper,

guitars - Jeff Olsen and vocals - Gary Cob) play fairly typical, no-frills US metal. I wish there was more to it then that, but it is what it is. Even for 1992 this would have been a rather tame affair although it does offer US metal fans solid, everyday heavy metal that, while not that different then a lot of similar bands of the day and age, at least does not remind me of any similar bands of the day and age. So, Invader had/have that going for them. If you like straight-up US metal then this album would be a reasonable purchase. Everyone else though will probably say "well, that's nice and all, but not really my thing".

Sacred Heart-The Vision

Pure Underground Records
2012


It was shortly after 5pm on Monday night when I noticed that I had a new e-mail from Pure Steel Promotions. I only looked at it ever so briefly as I was set to leave the house for the night. Even though it was in German I did catch the Sacred Heart bit and spent part of the evening out wondering if it was the same Sacred Heart I knew from Ohio? Sure enough it is and what a strange thing it is to see this collection now after all these years! I don't recall hearing "The Vision" the first time around although I was familiar with the band thanks to Auburn Records and their Heavy Artillery compilation. The Heavy Artillery compilation was a collection of mostly Ohio bands and a big local seller back in the day. It turned me on to a lot of good Ohio heavy metal bands and was a much loved tape until I lost it in a move. I have been trying to track down a download of the compilation for old time's sake but that is another story for another time. Pure Underground Records is re-releasing the original three-track demo ( "The Vision") along with the band's Heavy Artillery track "Time After Time". Also included from Sacred Heart is a unreleased track by the name of "Take Hold". All of the Sacred Heart material come from the days when bands like Fifth Angel, Shok Paris and even Breaker were big so you can really see the influence there. The material on here has been tweaked and re-mastered so this is not some demo sounding material. It is nice sounding melodic hard rock and even if it has not held up that well over time it is still nice to hear this old Cleveland act again. Tacked on to the tail-end of the re-release is a six-track-EP from the Byron Nemeth Group. Byron Nemeth was one of the guitarists in Sacred Heart and actually went on to be a well respected solo musician after having spent time in another Ohio metal band (Amon-Ra). That is the only real connection between the time groups on this album as the Byron Nemeth Group is more progressive metal in nature. Both sets of songs are interesting in their own right although having this progressive rock/metal band (with some keyboard and even violin parts) tied together with US metal seems odd at best. But its not something that would persuade me from suggesting this re-release.