While comparisons to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest are often inevitable wherever heavy metal roams, Traveler feels much more aligned to please fans of modern 80s-inspired contemporaries such as Riot City and LiveWire. All of the fixings—piercing wails, screeching solos, thunderous riffs, thrashy beats, catchy verses, epic story—pile on top a strong foundation of traditionally informed heavy metal, varnished with a modern gloss to form the end product entitled Prequel to Madness. Where previous efforts suffered for overlong track-by-track bloat, Prequel to Madness cinches all but two of these nine tracks to less than five minutes, netting thirty-nine minutes of total runtime. Yet, none of their trademark exuberance and enthusiasm wanes in the slightest. With this third salvo of unrelenting, high-octane jams under their belt, Traveler keep the energy thrumming in top gear so that you, too, might revel in righteous throwback metal, without a care in the world.
Joyful, vital, infectious: these are Prequel to Madness’ core traits. While instrumental opener “Mayday” really deserved to be fleshed out into a proper song rather than serving as a mere introduction, there’s no denying how effectively it jams a high dose of adrenaline into my body to prepare me for what’s to come. Early in the album’s run, boisterous triple threat “Dark Skull,” “The Law,” and “Rebels of Earth” rip and roar through chest-pumping, hair-raising, muscle-building anthems of adventure and WICTORY. “Dark Skull” marches forth with killer choruses, cruisin’ groove, and shredding solos for days. Meanwhile, “The Law” impresses with a rapid-fire machine-gun vocal delivery that is matched step by step by staccato rhythms and chugging riffs. Last, but not least, “Rebels of Earth” earns its five-minute runtime with nonstop engagement courtesy of some tasty guitar work, indelible choruses, and smart song transitions. Throughout the album’s tight span, few, if any, songs break the momentum generated by these early standouts. Instead, latecomers such as epic closer “Prequel to Madness” ensure that if anything, the album’s fiery personality burns even brighter with speedy lead licks, triumphant lines, and wild high notes aplenty.
As fun and wonderfully frenzied as Prequel to Madness undoubtedly is, its unhinged vocals hold it back. Ironically, this is most evident by the presence of one outlier, “No Fate,” which features a sudden shift in vocal timbre and style that at once impresses and derails. I get so used to the rough, but stratospherically high range heard up to this point, seven songs in, that to hear this Greyhawk-esque clean baritone without warning totally knocks me out of immersion. Nonetheless, as I come back to the record knowing that detour is waiting for me, I yearn for more of it scattered around to break up the constant sky-high wails and high-reverb powerhouse belts. In another instance, I can’t help but compare many of these vocals to those found in Riot City’s first album. While they provide a tantalizing, dangerous, and adrenaline-fueled vitality to bouncy songs like “Rebels of Earth” and “Heavy Hearts,” they also feel reckless in a way I find hard to love over time. A shot of Rob Halford’s renowned vocal refinement and precision would have made easy Song o’ the Year contenders out of those same selections.
All in all, Traveler’s third offering is as solid a heavy metal record as they come. Prequel to Madness guarantees a good time, not a long time, as Traveler finally nailed the sweet spot creating exciting, tightly written tunes. If you don’t mind a little vocal wildness, or hell, if that’s what you’re looking for in the first place, then this album is tailor-made for you!
Rating: Good!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: No Remorse Records
Websites: travelermetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/travelerheavymetal
Releases Worldwide: February 23rd, 2024
