Iron Maiden

Manilla Road – Mysterium Review

Manilla Road – Mysterium Review

By Steel Druhm on March 3, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Shadow Kingdom Records, Heavy Metal, 8 comments

“Manilla Road has more lives than Michael Myers or Jason Vorhees and much like those respective masked lunatics, they just won’t die. Although toiling away since the late 70s, Manilla Road and founder/vocalist/guitarist Mark “The Shark” Shelton have achieved nothing more than obscure, cult status in the metal world. They are the quintessential “true” metal act and have been releasing slight variations on their mega old school, American proto metal since I was in grade school.” Steel Druhm destroyed the last album by these legends, but loved the related Hellwell project. Will he find love on the Road or will the Hammer of Judgment come down again?

Saxon – Sacrifice Review

Saxon – Sacrifice Review

By Steel Druhm on March 1, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, English Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, UDR Music, Heavy Metal, 19 comments

“There’s no better example of a hard-working, determined, but ultimately second tier act than Saxon. They were part of the original NWoBHM and have been churning out traditional metal albums since 1979. They’ve had classic platters like Wheels of Steel and Denim and Leather and a wealth of classic songs (“Crusader” is so damn good). Still, most metal fans wouldn’t put them on as high a pedestal as Maiden or Priest in the Pantheon of Metal Kings (ov Steel).” So does Sacrifice finally earn Saxon that much sought after ticket to the top of the pops? Maybe we should manage expectations…

Alpha Tiger – Beneath the Surface Review

Alpha Tiger – Beneath the Surface Review

By Steel Druhm on February 4, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, Century Media, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 10 comments

“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!

Enforcer – Death By Fire Review

Enforcer – Death By Fire Review

By Steel Druhm on January 28, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Cock Rock, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, 6 comments

Enforcer is an easy band to poke fun at. Though from Sweden, they play a retro style that seeks to hit the sweet spot between NWOBHM and early American speed metal acts like Abattoir, Jag Panzer and Attacker, with the occasional dose of hair metal/cock rock tossed in for shits and giggles. This style calls for a fair amount of skin-tight white jeans, hairspray, bullet belts and overall silliness pasted on a rickety frame of Iron Maiden and Saxon riffs. How that strikes you is a very personal matter and I’m not one to judge (that’s a lie. I’ve been silently judging you all for years).

Holy Grail – Ride the Void Review

Holy Grail – Ride the Void Review

By Angry Metal Guy on January 18, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, American Metal, Nuclear Blast, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, 18 comments

Holy Grail is one of these new-wave, big-named bands that got picked up by Nuclear Blast in the last couple of years that I had never really bothered to check out. Mostly my apathy can be blamed on crankiness ’cause I’m old. But their specific brand of nod-to-the-old-school power metal with a modern edge seems to perfectly encapsulate a lot of what’s going on in the metal scene these days, and their 2010 release Crisis in Utopia was met with generally positive responses. Still, I somehow managed to ignore these guys when they dropped their first record and given all the chatter I figured I’d make up for that by giving Ride the Void a go.

Seven Kingdoms – The Fire is Mine Review

Seven Kingdoms – The Fire is Mine Review

By Steel Druhm on November 9, 2012 in 2012, 4.5, American Metal, Nightmare Records, Power Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 20 comments

Through hellstorms, hail and snow, Steel Druhm keeps delivering the power metal like a creepy, metal-obsessed mailman in full battle armor. Today’s package includes the classic power stylings from Seven Kingdoms. If you like the super catchy Hammerfall and Gamma Ray sound, this will blow your mind as it did Mr. Steel’s. It seems there’s no end to the power metal destruction he plans to unleash on these here pages in the coming weeks, so batten down the hatches and prepare accordingly.