Artist: Assassin's Blade
Release Title: Agents of Mystification
Year: 2016
Label: Pure Steel Records
Genre: Heavy/Speed Metal
Tracklisting:
1.Agents of Mystification
2.Herostratos
3.The Demented Force
4.Dreadnought
5.Autumn Serenade
6.Transgression
7.Nowhere Riders
8.Crucible of War
9.Frosthammer
10.League of the Divine Wind
11.Prophet's Urn
A wholly international act consisting of Canadian and Swedish musicians, heavy metallers Assassin’s Blade was formed in 2014 by Jacques Bélanger of Exciter fame who teamed with a dazzling pair of Swedish musicians, David Stranderud and Peter Svensson. When drummer Marcus Rosenkvist joined the band permanently in 2015 soon thereafter the band unleashed it’s debut offering on April 29, 2016 through Pure Steel Records.
For the most part this here is a fantastically old-school recording, comprising mostly of straightforward heavy metal material clearly in that sphere of influence. Tight, swirling trad-metal workouts are the main course here, running through rather impressive mid-tempo sections here while still allowing the band to switch-up proceedings quite nicely here when it switches over into other creative realms. Also managing to go into far more majestic, mid-range tempos here where it forsakes those tight speed-packed arrangements for more of a plodding mid-tempo series of rhythms that are far more relaxed and instead march along at an even-handed chug with the steady rhythms keeping it all in line. This is on the whole a really appealing arrangement for the most part, even aiding along by the fine guest musicians who provide extravagant and ripping soloing throughout most of the tracks as well as the explosive vocal-work. Indeed, there’s plenty of enjoyable work throughout here, this one does manage to stumble across one problem where the album goes into a dry spell music-wise in the mid-segment. There’s plenty of times in those tracks where it really could’ve turned up the speed more than what happens here, and the majority of those tracks in that section are based on the mid-tempo style of work instead and aside from that drop-off it really reinforces the idea of this one running through the same riffs and patterns. This is a rather troubling section that does come through mainly from the group’s inexperience, and should be remedied in time as they continue.
While there’s some minor flaws to be had here with the somewhat detrimental rhythms running into the same patterns, there’s plenty to like here in the classic heavy metal sound otherwise that it does come off more for that old-school heavy metal crowd or fans of the creative members involved who can look past the flaws.
Artist: Fibra de Acero
Release Title: En tiempos de guerra
Year: 2016
Label: Sepulchral Silence
Genre: Heavy/Speed Metal
Tracklisting:
1.Desert Warriors
2.War Metal
3.Lycans
4.Leyendas
5.Crucifixion
6.Batallas
7.Desert Warrior (studio version)
8.Crucifixion (studio version)
From the Chilean town of Copiapo, heavy/speed metallers Fibra de Acero have been in existence since 2014 but have yet to professionally release anything until now. Their debut release, initially issued independently June 6, 2015 before a June 25 reissue on Sepulchral Silence Records, features six live and two studio renditions of epically-tinged, locally-flavored heavy metal.
The album itself is a mostly straightforward affair, really taking a few rather simplistic touches throughout and weaving them in the course of the music. Rather than tight, swirling speed-metal numbers, instead the riffing here is a lot looser and rawer as befits the mostly-live recording-setting for the material, and there’s a nicely anthemic feel to the music here due to that which manages to get the tracks bouncing along to the mostly simplistic rhythms and sprawling drumming that takes the rhythms along through the rather charging tempos. When it gets a little tighter and delves into the speedier tracks, and especially on the two studio renditions, there’s plenty of fun times with it generating that tight, vicious riffing style and energetic riff-work which is quite more lively than the mostly sluggish patterns featured elsewhere. The ability to tie itself into the local culture with their melodies and arrangements, though, is the main selling point here with it coming across as a really nice touch to include those amongst the more traditional melodies. Still, the fact that the release is comprised of the live material with the studio versions tacked on makes it seem like a slap-shod effort and feels pretty jarring when it could’ve been a more cohesive effort one way or the other. Likewise, the band isn’t the best at adapting the energy quite well with the majority of the tracks pretty plodding and mid-tempo which can be worked out over the future, but otherwise this is still a mostly enjoyable release.
Though there’s some work to be done in terms of effectively managing their energy and intensity throughout their work, there’s still more than enough at play here to make this a mostly engaging effort that will inevitably end up appealing mostly to those who prefer this looser, raw form of South American heavy metal.
Artist: Hi-GH
Release Title: Till Death and After
Year: 2014
Label: Metal-on-Metal Records
Genre: Speed/Heavy Metal
Tracklisting:
1.We Are the End of All
2.Till Death and After
3.The Russian Border
4.Sex Machine
5.Drug Your Destiny
6.Devil's Fire
7.Born Under Evil Defence
8.Your Bloody Face
9.White Car Fever
10.Deal of Death
11.Forged in Hell
12.German Metal Attack (Hastighed cover)
The second full-length from Italian heavy metallers Hi-GH is a certainly strong and rocking effort that really gives their speed-driven anthems quite a bit of flair. In contrast to a lot of the written material for the band, the general air here is decidedly classic heavy metal with an admittedly prevalent punk-rock leaning in the simplistic, energetic manner of their rhythm work throughout this, making for a toughened, airy atmosphere throughout here being fueled by simple, repetitive riffing that generates a strong sense of speed for the tracks as a whole. This does drift slightly towards a melodic power metal scenario with the classic rhythms melded onto a speed-metal framework, but the general influx of truer heavy metal patterns does manage to keep this aimed more along that pathway. The biggest issue here is the fact that the strong punk influence here does manage to keep the tracks here pretty solidly and firmly one-dimensional without too many variations or stand-out moments of deviation within their arrangements here, only offered in a few small sections of the tracks which comes more from their traditional metal baseline anyway and really dropping the punk elements out of focus for the most part.
The first half here is a solid-enough start to this one. Opening storytelling intro ‘We Are the End of All’ features a sampled droning effect and a distorted speech that all sets the stage for proper first track as the title track fires off tight, raging speed metal riffing and pounding drumming augmented with the constant volley of galloping up-tempo riffing taking the rumbling rhythms and tight drumming through the solo section and on through the charging finale for an overall impressive offering. ‘The Russian Border’ uses a warfare-themed sample before firing into a steady, thumping series of tight riffing buzzing along to the rumbling bass-lines and pounding drumming charging throughout the solo section with the tight speed metal riffing carrying into the final half for another enjoyable track. ‘Sex Machine’ features an extended droning intro with rumbling riffing, frantic speeds and pounding drumming through the raging up-tempo paces through the rumbling, extended solo section filled with tight raging rhythms that carry on through the blazing finale for a less-enjoyable-if-still-entertaining effort. ‘Drug Your Destiny’ uses a steady swirling mid-tempo plodding rhythm with tight drumming that turns into a steady, rocking up-tempo gallop full of rocking rhythms and speed metal rhythms leading into the explosive solo section with plenty of driving riffing into the final half for another strong and enjoyable offering. The short rocker ‘Devil's Fire’ uses blaring punk-ish bass-lines and rolling drumming kicking into a stellar up-tempo pace with simplistic rocking punk rhythms raging along to the simple riffs thumping along with the rattling rhythms coming along with the strong finale for an enjoyable offering.
The second half here is certainly enjoyable enough with a few minor missteps. ‘Born Under Evil Defence’ brings a moody, atmospheric intro into a strong mid-tempo gallop with swirling riffing and charging energetic drumming racing through the blistering tempos with the stylish mid-tempo patterns continuing through the final half for another solid overall effort. ‘Your Bloody Face’ features a blaring bass-line rhythm and tight, frantic punk riff-work through the blazing up-tempo rhythms continuing throughout the finale for an even more impressive shorter thrasher. ‘White Car Fever’ slowly fades in from a steady speed-metal riffing pattern into a steady speed-driven series of rhythms as the thrashing punk energies are focused into the barreling tempos leading into the first solo section and sprawling through the second section as it leads to the pummeling final half for a highly enjoyable highlight. ‘Deal of Death’ takes thumping up-tempo rhythms and pounding drumming along the steady riff-work with plenty of tight patterns keeping this blazing along with a drop into fiery-but-more melodic rhythms leading into the solo section with the furious, charging rhythms continuing through the finale for strong back-to-back highlights. ‘Forged in Hell’ features a simple, charging riff firing through a blazing up-tempo pace with rocking energetic drumming carrying the frantic, off-the-rails intensity along through the simplistic rhythms with the blazing solo section and keeping the rattling tempos throughout the final half for a rocking, enjoyable track. Lastly, ending with their cover of Hastighed’s ‘German Metal Attack’ keeps the simplistic, driving intent of the original with a thumping, driving attitude from the pounding drum-work that continues on throughout the track here for a fine if non-essential listen to close this out.
This here is a highly enjoyable blast of speed-influenced traditional metal that contains enough dynamics and enjoyable moments to really work a lot of different facets into this one that gives it a lot of overall appeal to those firmly entrenched in the classic old-school metal style or fans of more energetic offerings overall.
