Skull Fist

Show N Tell – The Ritual Has Begun Review

By Steel Druhm on January 25, 2024 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, 42 comments

“I’m a child of the maelstrom that was 80s metal. I was learning what I enjoyed musically during the embryonic days of MTV, and in those early years that channel force-fed me a steady diet of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Def Leppard videos. The 80s metal sound is encoded into my DNA and if you hit me hard enough, old fanzine ink leaks out. This makes me the demographic for what Phoenix Arizona’s Show N Tell are selling on their The Ritual Has Begun debut. This is 100% unabashedly retro metal with a carbon date of 1983-84, when American metal acts were taking the NWoBHM sound and speeding it up.” Show me the METAL!

Thunderor – Fire It Up Review

By Itchymenace on February 27, 2022 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, 29 comments

“Two months into 2022 and Thunderor have already released the best album cover of the year. Part Painkiller, part Jester Race, all airbrushed metal glory. Thunderor is the NWOTHM pet project of Skull Fist drummer JJ Tartaglia who is joined by ex-Skull Fist guitarist Johnny Nesta and ex Annihilator bassist Oscar Rangel. After reading the press release, one can imagine the moment Tartaglia saw Manowar’s “Return of the Warlord” video and traded his skateboard for a chopper and his Vans for a pair of studded boots.” Heavy metal Thunderor.

Metalian – Vortex Review

By Steel Druhm on July 9, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, Heavy Metal, High Roller Records, NWOBHM, Reviews, Speed Metal, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Speed Metal, 26 comments

“Canada is in the midst of a speed metal renaissance at the moment, with bands like Skull Fist and Riot City blazing burning pathways back to the 80s. Now you can add Metalian to the backward focused mob rush. Their third opus Vortex is a shameless throwback dose of speed mixed with traditional and NWoBHM ideas, designed and executed to sound totally natural in 1984. That means tossing Agent Steel, Razor and Judas Priest in a burlap sack and shaking furiously to see what happens.” Dad metal happens.

Cauldron – New Gods Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on September 5, 2018 in 2018, Canadian Metal, Dissonance Productions, Heavy Metal, Reviews, The End Records, Heavy Metal, 100 comments

“Bands like Enforcer, Striker, Spellcaster, Skull Fist, and White Wizzard do their damndest to take the baton and run with the same energy and passion of their forefathers. But, no list is complete without Canada’s Cauldron. This heavy-metal threesome embodies this old-school style with heavy bass, smooth vox, chunky guitar licks, and a dark cloak of melody—expressing their love for everything from witches and gloomy haunts to the darker side of life.” Into the kettle with the nonbelievers.

Haunt – Burst into Flame Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on August 14, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Shadow Kingdom Records, Heavy Metal, 75 comments

“A couple years ago, I put Spellcaster’s Night Hides the World on my top ten list. But, now that they appear to have folded, I’m in search of a replacement with the same amount of pizzazz. In walks Haunt and their debut record Burst into Flame. A record with plenty of Spellcaster-meets-Angel Witch vibe. But is it what Grier‘s been waiting for?” Calling Doctor Olde. Doctor Olde, please report to the past.