Showdown is an expectedly great showing, but that doesn’t mean Mega Colossus hasn’t endeavored to evolve their sound. The band has described Showdown as “hookier” than the preceding Riptime; I disagree, simply because I cannot listen to either record without tripping over a razor-sharp hook every two seconds, but it is a notably warmer and more colorful experience. Kansas and Rainbow are cited as melodic inspirations, which is evident on “Wicked Road” for anyone who’s ever listened to “Carry On my Wayward Sun” (that’s you reading this). Showdown’s resulting chords and harmonies feel classic and effervescent, with sections often veering closer to raucous hard rock (especially “Fortune and Glory” and “Showdown”) than heavy metal. Showdown is still metal through and through, but Mega Colossus’s refined approach feels refreshingly distinct in the wider trad metal canon.
Classic rock influences aside, Showdown finds Mega Colossus as kinetic as ever, their riffs relentlessly diving and ascending with gleeful fervor. This is especially true for the record’s downright breathless A-side, and double especially true for the prog-power-thrash epic “Grab the Sun.” A brilliant musical retelling of Mad Max: Fury Road, “Grab the Sun” lyrically alternates viewpoints between Nux and Furiosa in a cyclical structure that mimics the film’s plot. It’s a propulsive and uplifting listening experience, and an early contender for my Song o’ the Year. This song signals the end of Showdown’s first half, and its second half, while no less excellent than the first, is relatively muted in terms of energy. This is Showdown’s sole drawback: its pacing dips on the back end, and I can’t help but wonder whether a simple restructuring of the track list would greatly preserve its momentum.
The reason Showdown remains so goddamn compelling through to its conclusion, despite its mild pacing woes, lies in the brilliance of guitarists Bill Fischer and Chris Millard. Their sole rule is seemingly “no boring riffs ever”, and while this has always been the case with Mega Colossus, their playing has never been so richly textured or densely layered. Even the relatively mellow “Wicked Road” is juiced with sparking, colorful lead flourishes at every turn, constantly demanding the listener’s attention. And if the guitars somehow cannot fully command you, Sean Buchanan’s voice will surely finish the job, as he remains one of the cleanest and most distinctive singers in the scene. There’s an undefined nerdy twang to his pipes that makes him a perfect fit for a band that writes songs about both Face/Off (“Showdown”) and Porco Rosso (“Take to the Skies”) on the same album.
Mega Colossus’s most recent releases have been bolstered by modern production that is far from the norm in the current traditional metal climate, and I interpret this engineering choice as an extension of their implied philosophy: fun at the expense of all trends. Showdown’s crisp soundscape is a reflection of the revelry that permeates its songwriting from top to bottom, an addictiveness further bolstered by its brisk thirty-eight-minute runtime. It’s difficult to say at this stage whether Showdown is Mega Colossus’s strongest effort, but what I can say for certain is that it has, seemingly impossibly, improved in my estimations with every single one of my fifteen-ish spins. Even if you’re like me and you typically put traditional heavy metal recommendations near the bottom of your priority list, I implore you to give Showdown a listen, as it’s sure to be one of the most entertaining records of the year in any genre.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Cruz del Sur Music Official | Bandcamp
Websites: music.meltedfaces.com (Bandcamp) | facebook.com/colossusmetal
Releases Worldwide: January 26th, 2024
