Warlord

Trial – Feed the Fire Review

By Steel Druhm on September 8, 2022 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 104 comments

“Way back in 2015, when the world was young and AMG was still using the cursed and damned Excel Promo Sheet ov Doom, an album called Vessel by Swedish prog/power/trad act Trial graced my earholes. It was like a joyous fusion of Crimson Glory, early Fates Warning, In Solitude and NWoBHM and I really enjoyed it. I planned to review it but time conspired against me and Vessel never got the AMG treatment it deserved. 2017s Motherless did, however, and that album was a hot mess lacking the old timey charm and mystique of its predecessor. Fast forward to 2022 and Trial return with Feed the Fire and a brand new singer, and the awkwardness of Motherless is nowhere to be found.” Trial by fire.

Ryghär – Thurmecia Eternal Review

By Steel Druhm on September 27, 2021 in Reviews, Epic Metal, Heavy Metal, 42 comments

“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.

Lunar Shadow – Wish to Leave Review

By Steel Druhm on March 18, 2021 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, 21 comments

Lunar Shadow is a relatively young act, but they’ve logged more miles on their progress-o-meter than some bands do over several decades. Here on album number three, Wish to Leave, they’ve undergone their third significant style shift. Having started life playing a form of retro epic metal fused with black metal, they quickly shifted and incorporated a significant Goth rock element on 2019s The Smokeless Fire, while still trying to make their traditional/epic/NWoBHM/black style function. Now a scant year and change later they’ve shifted deeper into Goth rock and post/indie territory.” Sudden departures and chronic indecisiveness.

Enzo and the Glory Ensemble – In the Name of the Son Review

By Master of Muppets on October 5, 2017 in 2017, Italian Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Rockshots Records, Symphonic Metal, Progressive Metal, Symphonic Metal, 82 comments

“Once, I believed myself able to see past the veils and charades of societal labels, to be able to transcend the likes of religious affiliation in order to experience art for art’s sake. Once, I believed that I could overcome any element of musical unpleasantness if the rest of the material was strong enough. I have loved the likes of Mos Def, Flyleaf, and Ghost Bath, and felt no shame. Once, I believed all this to be enough to allow me to find redemption in any kind of music… until I heard Enzo and the Glory Ensemble’s In the Name of the Son.” Jazz hands for the Lord.

Walpyrgus – Walpyrgus Nights Review

By Steel Druhm on June 6, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Cruz Del Sur, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 25 comments

“‘Super groups’ aren’t all of Pulsar Class wattage. In truth they fall all over the spectrum from truly famous assemblages to largely unknown folks from somewhat established bands. Walpyrgus hovers closer to the latter pole, being composed of members of Twisted Tower Dire, While Heaven Wept and Daylight Dies. This may not be the most recognizable collection of musician, but what they do, they do surprisingly well, namely rocking early 80s NWoBHM in all its ear-wormy, guitar-driven glory.” I am the Walpyrgus.

Johnny Touch – Inner City Wolves Review

By Steel Druhm on August 9, 2014 in 2014, Australian Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Shadow Kingdom Records, Heavy Metal, 15 comments

“Johnny Touch may be one of the all time worst band names, sounding more like the local playground creeper than the throwback 80s metal act they are (the cover art totally makes up for it though). That aside, this little known Aussie act has adopted an extremely old school sound influenced by early American acts like Riot and Cities as well as the earliest Dio, Ozzy and Yngwie solo albums. Basically this is as retro as metal can get since there’s scant room to crawl further up the genre’s ass before you’re stumbling across The Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley.” Steel Druhm reenacts The Old Man and the Sea, but with metal.

Steelwing – Lord of the Wasteland Review

By Steel Druhm on April 27, 2010 in 2010, 4.0, American Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Thrash Metal, NWOBHM, 1 comment

Steelwing? Never heard of them. I toss in Lord of the Wasteland to see what I am dealing with and POW!! I get punched right in the face by an angry, metal spiked fist from 1982! This Stockholm, Sweden based band may be young and only formed in 2009, but man can they bring the pure, unadulterated NWOBHM power to the party. On this, their debut album, they shamelessly steal the best recipes from Iron Maiden, Saxon, Grim Reaper and Warlord and cook up a surprisingly fresh sounding, if utterly unoriginal metal meatloaf of riffs and attitude with enough cheese coating to choke a mastodon. Steelwing gives you eight fast and furious traditional metal anthems played by musicians who clearly worship at the altar of early 80’s metal and know exactly how that epoch of metal should sound.