It seemed like a fun challenge. Like the kid you dared to eat a tater tot after its been up someone else’s nose, I couldn’t resist the temptation to take on 79 bloated minutes of excessive, symphonic concept metal from one of Long Island’s unsung legends. Maybe it’s masochism, maybe it’s the need for attention, maybe it’s a Fight Club-like desire to stand outside the door long enough with my boots and shirts that Steel Druhm will invite me in to Project Mayhem and I’ll get a Judas Priest promo. Either way, the boss was clearly done with Virgin Steele after his previous, less-than-flattering reviews and no one else was touching this thing. Despite being around for decades, I’ve never listened to Virgin Steele, and popping my cherry on The Passion of Dionysus felt daunting. For the uninitiated, the band had a string of keyboard-heavy burners in the 80s when it wasn’t cool to have guitars and keyboards in the same room unless your last name was “Van Halen.” For some time, the band has essentially been a one-man project for singer/keyboardist David DeFeis (that’s him crucified on the cover so you know how many fucks he gives about vanity criticisms). As with his last few offerings, The Passion of Dionysus throws restraint out the window and the inmate is clearly running the asylum. Is the score counter safe from this madness?
Spoiler Alert: I love this album more than I should. I’m an olde guy and olde metal makes sense to me. Despite the operatic silliness of this concept record about Greek myths and the duality of human nature, I get it. If this thing had dropped when I was 15, I probably would have thought it was the greatest thing since Number of the Beast. It brings me back to happy nights falling asleep to Savatage, Fates Warning and Sanctuary – bands that I felt delivered sophisticated bedtime stories and plenty of headphone candy. I can trace where this comes from and how it wants to fit its big square peg in the round hole of the current music scene. David DeFeis’s “no fucks given” approach pays off big and it’s fascinating to see where he takes things. What could easily be Spinal Tap turns to gold again and again.
What brings me the most joy are the melodies. So often I review new bands that have two decent melodies on their entire record. I’m a sucker for a good tune. Not only are the melodies great, DeFeis’s voice is strong across the board. Steel Druhm likes to make fun of what he calls DeFeis’s “inside voice” but I love the velvety smoothness of it. I prefer it to the shrieking vocals that sound eerily like Eric Adams of local rivals, Manowar. While there are plenty of keyboards here, the guitars are tastefully used for dramatic purpose like on the album’s best track, “You’ll Never See the Sun Again.” Melodies, riffs and solos all have their place in the composition. In the title track, delicate guitar noodles and pounding riffs create a compelling tension that, coupled with more stellar melodies and pacing, make it my second favorite track.
Every album has its flaws. When yours runs 79 minutes with most songs clocking in at eight-plus minutes, the obvious criticism would be excess filler. But that’s not the case here. When I try to imagine which songs I’d omit, I hesitate. There is no clear answer. If you want to nitpick, I’d start with the production. The Passion of Dionysus has a bit of a 1990’s Roland home studio patina. And, as Druhm points out in his reviews, the keyboards have a John Tesh-like ambiance that can take you out of your metal mindset. The bass is also problematic. It sounds like a fretless jazz player who got his gigs crossed.
I was initially tempted to 4.0 this album. Then, Steel Druhm would think twice before daring me to review his leftovers! But I’m trying to remain objective. As much as I love The Passion of Dionysus, I can see its limitations too. I don’t think it has the staying power to warrant a higher rating. Still, there’s a lot of fun here for the metal fan who loves Priest and wasn’t afraid to embrace Nostradamus. Metal has been built on a giant cheese wheel and the gouda, bad and ugly are all on full display here – but lovingly so. Go ahead and let your passion flow.1
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: Steamhammer Records
Websites: virgin-steele.com | Facebook.com/virginsteeleofficial
Releases Worldwide: June 30th, 2023
