GardensTale has assembled all the best art for his yearly exhibition. Put on your Sunday best and try to act cultured as he explains art appreciation to you filthy clods.
Savage Grace
Leathürbitch – Shattered Vanity Review
“The 80s were an interesting time to be a young idiot metal fan. As NWoBHM styles gave way to the early days of thrash and speed, there was this creative tension between acts that were 100% thrash and others that were not quite there but definitely speedy and aggressive. Bands like Savage Grace, Jag Panzer, and Agent Steel walked that line between US power metal, thrash and speed and I was always very enamored with that hybrid style. This puts what Portland’s retro metal maniacs, Leathürbitch do directly in the moldy wheelhouse of Steel.” Bonfires and vanity.
Savage Grace – Sign of the Cross Review
“Savage Grace are a band now relegated pretty deeply into the dustbin of history, with only a small cadre of elder metal aficionados remembering their brief but entertaining forays into speed/traditional/NWoBHM from 1983 to 1987. They appeared on Metal Massacre II in 1982, but unlike other acts on that compilation like Warlord, Armored Saint, and Overkill, they never got to that next stage of their career, though they should be famous for some of the worst album art in metal history.” Grace in your face.
Ryghär – Thurmecia Eternal Review
“Conan’s mighty name is heavy upon the wind of late around the stately AMG offices/black market organ emporium. Ancient Empire just released a Cimmerian-themed outing and now Texas trve metallers Ryghär are set to drop their Hyborian age debut. Adopting a sound somewhere between Savage Grace, Manilla Road and Sumerlands, this unheralded act has an iron fist locked firmly on the olden ways and know how to craft epic odes to all things rusty, tarnished and ancient.” Sëize the umlaut.
Leathürbitch – Into the Night Review
“Leathürbitch are clearly enamored with the early 80s metal sound as well as the proto-speed metal era. They’re also determined to marry these sub-genres, which leads to an odd mix of early Motley Crüe and Bitch with faster acts like Mötörhead and Savage Grace. Add in a tendency to sing about their cocks, and you have quite the suspicious package ready for TSA inspection.” Night sweats,
Masters of Disguise – Alpha/Omega Review
“Hey look, the weirdest inside joke in all of metal is still going strong. Backstory: Masters of Disguise is a throwback speed metal act living and breathing to pay homage to a particularly obscure band from the 80s called Savage Grace. Who, you ask? Exactly. They were a good band but barely got any traction or notoriety despite a pretty solid outing with 1986s After the Fall From Grace. Now Masters of Disguise (named after Grace’s debut album) seek to revive their hero’s nonexistent legacy due to some highly tenuous ties to the original singer.” First Will and Grace comes back and now Savage Grace too?
Encyrcle – Encyrcle Review
“Speed metal wasn’t around long as a separate genre before it got absorbed into the more popular thrash bubble following the Bay Area explosion. Over the years the differences between the styles blurred, and while they’re slight, speed metal was always closer to classic metal in attitude with a greater emphasis on memorability and hooks. And that’s where Denmark’s Encyrcle come in.” Nobody saw this dose of old timey fury coming.
Things You Might Have Missed 2013: Masters of Disguise – Back With a Vengeance
“As a wise man named Mr. Fisting Himself once observed, the latest trend in metal is finding the most obscure acts from the past and repackaging them as underground, cult and cool, or to quote the man Himself, embarking on “the slow journey up it’s own ass.” Taking part in this mining mission to Uranus, Masters of Disguise is a band wholly created to pay homage to the extremely under known mid 80s speed metal act Savage Grace. Whom, you ask? Exactly.” Talk about wallowing in obscurity! These guys are so far up metal’s ass they may never be seen again, but I thought the same thing about their progenitor too.
Alpha Tiger – Beneath the Surface Review
“Move your skinny asses over, Enforcer, there’s a new sheriff in Retro City and the name is really shitty. I know a pussy cat name like Alpha Tiger won’t inspire much faith amongst the angry metal masses, but trust me, the music more than makes up for the cheese-tastic moniker (which belongs on a third-rate Japanese video game where you brawl through a zoo and up the food chain). This is unapologetically old school, traditional metal taking its cues from early 80s American acts like Agent Steel, Armored Saint, John Arch era-Fates Warning, Sacred Oath and Crimson Glory.” Yes, Steel Druhm is delivering MORE retro metal for your consideration!! Deal with it. ROAR!
