Delving deep into the past’s raw energy, powerful melodies, and electrifying riffs that defined the golden age of metal Lynx have been yanked from the 80’s into the modern era with their 1985’ classic Caught In The Trap finally being uncaged nearly four decades later.
Opener My Own Way contains a plethora of Swiss synthesisers with stadium worthy riffs emphasising the balance of melodic hard rock and driving heavy metal with follow up Win Or Lose. For long time fans, it is a chance to own this long-lost treasure and for newcomers like myself it is indeed a very welcome invitation to discover a band that truly embodies the magic of 80s metal, and nothing embodies this like the prominent basslines and nostalgia of Fingers Crossed.
Opener My Own Way contains a plethora of Swiss synthesisers with stadium worthy riffs emphasising the balance of melodic hard rock and driving heavy metal with follow up Win Or Lose. For long time fans, it is a chance to own this long-lost treasure and for newcomers like myself it is indeed a very welcome invitation to discover a band that truly embodies the magic of 80s metal, and nothing embodies this like the prominent basslines and nostalgia of Fingers Crossed.
Lynx dissolved shortly after the album’s release, leaving Caught In Trap largely undiscovered by the wider metal audience and if there in any justification for something resurfacing, they should be pointed to the progressive soundscapes of Man Without A Face.
As the album moves along in a cascade of nostalgia with Don’t Fool Me it has to be said the tracks stand up really well and in no way, sound dated nearly forty years on – this has to be the highlight track for me as it encompasses everything, I love from this particular era which is all but confirmed with the juggernaut that is Final Race. To be honest this album has caused me nothing, but joy so far and Final Race most certainly adds to this with some wonderful guitar work. This is followed up with some great drum patterns on the fast-paced story led Master Of Evil.
Nightwalker is the perfect ending track and really encompasses the energy and precision of the release which I so grateful that has been discovered because I feel that is by far something everybody should hear as it is so well crafted. 9/10
Steel Inferno - Rush Of Power (From The Vaults Switzerland) [Matt Bladen]
One guess the style of heavy metal Steel Inferno play? Correct, leather clad, balls to the wall heavy metal inspired initially by the NWOBHM/Speed Metal titans but more recently adding the US power metal sound. So it moves more towards the thrash end of the metal spectrum but still sees plenty of hooky choruses and gallops but put with furious biting riffs and flurry's of solos.
These Danes are now on their fourth studio album and with Rush Of Power they lay down another speed metal assault, the vocals have the effect of Helstar and the production is quite old school too giving Power Games a thrashy snarl. Cathedral Run has a percussive propulsion and while there's a lot here to enjoy, Steel Inferno don't reinvent the wheel.
However they do get them spinning at way over the speed limit so, follow the trail of smoke if you like your metal fast and loud! 7/10
Demon Bitch - Master Of The Games (Gates Of Hell Records) [Zak Skane]
Hailing from Detroit Michigan the 5 piece outfit consisted of vocalist Logon Saton, guitarists Lord Mars and Solon Saton, returning bassist B. Beastmaster and drummer Master Commander. Demon Bitch spent the last two years refining their next release Master Of The Games which was recorded at Lansing, Michigan.
Nightwalker is the perfect ending track and really encompasses the energy and precision of the release which I so grateful that has been discovered because I feel that is by far something everybody should hear as it is so well crafted. 9/10
Steel Inferno - Rush Of Power (From The Vaults Switzerland) [Matt Bladen]
One guess the style of heavy metal Steel Inferno play? Correct, leather clad, balls to the wall heavy metal inspired initially by the NWOBHM/Speed Metal titans but more recently adding the US power metal sound. So it moves more towards the thrash end of the metal spectrum but still sees plenty of hooky choruses and gallops but put with furious biting riffs and flurry's of solos.
These Danes are now on their fourth studio album and with Rush Of Power they lay down another speed metal assault, the vocals have the effect of Helstar and the production is quite old school too giving Power Games a thrashy snarl. Cathedral Run has a percussive propulsion and while there's a lot here to enjoy, Steel Inferno don't reinvent the wheel.
However they do get them spinning at way over the speed limit so, follow the trail of smoke if you like your metal fast and loud! 7/10
Demon Bitch - Master Of The Games (Gates Of Hell Records) [Zak Skane]
Hailing from Detroit Michigan the 5 piece outfit consisted of vocalist Logon Saton, guitarists Lord Mars and Solon Saton, returning bassist B. Beastmaster and drummer Master Commander. Demon Bitch spent the last two years refining their next release Master Of The Games which was recorded at Lansing, Michigan.
Throughout this whole album were getting classic iron maiden and Diamond Head influences in tracks like the title track Master Of The Game which brings in the classic high speed galloping rhythms whilst brings those classic Thin Lizzy style lead harmonies which bring in some neo classical edge. The fusion of the different styles in the progressive track Protector And The Horse brings in some Iron Maiden Phantom Of The Opera influences but more super charged. The lead work brings these classic soulful bends in songs like Into the Archway, whilst also bringing licks at Flight Of The Bumble Bee speeds on the opening track The Quickening.
The drumming brings in the thunder from The Quickening with it’s plumbing double kicks that captured with natural production and no clear indication sample replacing, which really showcases Master Commanders drumming abilities, but his double kick ability is just the tip of the ice berg. The title track shows the Master giving Nicko McBrain a run for his money in relation to bringing in some ride accented grooves to match the retro styled guitar riffs whilst Sentinel At The Spire brings in high energy cyclone blast beats.
Throughout this album vocalist provides these jumping vocal melody lines that take reminiscence from Geddy Lee from Rush. For example, the opening track the vocalist Logon Saton brings the operatic energy of Bruce Dickinson whilst having the punk aggression that Paul Di'anno brought to the first two Iron Maiden albums. Into The Archway shows Logan raising to Rob Halford level ranges, whilst plummeting down into demonic growls.
Through this album the production brings this retro sound with it’s natural sounding drum and guitar performances sounding like they have not been time aligned nor the vocals being pitch corrected. The drum room sound being echoed throughout each track whilst the guitars still keeps it’s slips and scratches and the vocalist bouldering his vocal melodies o-natural.
Demon Bitch's Master Of The Game takes us back to the leather cladded NWOBHM era of the 70’s. Bringing the classic punk energy of the old school Paul Di'Anno era of Iron Maiden, whilst containing the melodic integrity of Thin Lizzy and the quirkiness of Rush. This music allocated to the one that like their metal classic. 6/10
Salem UK - Outer Limits (Rude Awakening Records) [Rich Piva]
If traditional metal ala bands like Saxon, Savatage, Halloween, and others who would hang with that crew you may dig the new record from veteran metalheads Salem UK, previously without the UK, though that is where they are from, which makes sense, right? Anyway, this is their first record since 2018 and the promo material says the record is influenced by a 13th century carnival and combines that with heavy metal goodness. Sure, let’s go with that.
Salem UK does rock, and the guitar work on these twelve tracks is pretty great, especially on songs like Rock You (of course there is a song called Rock You). I hear early Dokken in some of these songs too, for instance check out the track Red Light. The vocals are not great and is really my struggle with the record. The production sounds pretty thin too (that drum sound, yikes). The band overcomes this on some cool tracks like Fire Fire that is quite the ripper in 80s Priest fashion and Meteorite which is the most unique song on Outer Limits, sounding more like an American 80s hard rock band trying to push away from their hair metal label.
There is nothing bad and some good stuff on Outer Limits. If you can get past the thin sounding production and can handle the vocals, this traditional metal record brought forth by Salem UK should scratch an itch for you. If not, go listen to Gutter Ballet for the thousandth time. 6/10
The drumming brings in the thunder from The Quickening with it’s plumbing double kicks that captured with natural production and no clear indication sample replacing, which really showcases Master Commanders drumming abilities, but his double kick ability is just the tip of the ice berg. The title track shows the Master giving Nicko McBrain a run for his money in relation to bringing in some ride accented grooves to match the retro styled guitar riffs whilst Sentinel At The Spire brings in high energy cyclone blast beats.
Throughout this album vocalist provides these jumping vocal melody lines that take reminiscence from Geddy Lee from Rush. For example, the opening track the vocalist Logon Saton brings the operatic energy of Bruce Dickinson whilst having the punk aggression that Paul Di'anno brought to the first two Iron Maiden albums. Into The Archway shows Logan raising to Rob Halford level ranges, whilst plummeting down into demonic growls.
Through this album the production brings this retro sound with it’s natural sounding drum and guitar performances sounding like they have not been time aligned nor the vocals being pitch corrected. The drum room sound being echoed throughout each track whilst the guitars still keeps it’s slips and scratches and the vocalist bouldering his vocal melodies o-natural.
Demon Bitch's Master Of The Game takes us back to the leather cladded NWOBHM era of the 70’s. Bringing the classic punk energy of the old school Paul Di'Anno era of Iron Maiden, whilst containing the melodic integrity of Thin Lizzy and the quirkiness of Rush. This music allocated to the one that like their metal classic. 6/10
Salem UK - Outer Limits (Rude Awakening Records) [Rich Piva]
If traditional metal ala bands like Saxon, Savatage, Halloween, and others who would hang with that crew you may dig the new record from veteran metalheads Salem UK, previously without the UK, though that is where they are from, which makes sense, right? Anyway, this is their first record since 2018 and the promo material says the record is influenced by a 13th century carnival and combines that with heavy metal goodness. Sure, let’s go with that.
Salem UK does rock, and the guitar work on these twelve tracks is pretty great, especially on songs like Rock You (of course there is a song called Rock You). I hear early Dokken in some of these songs too, for instance check out the track Red Light. The vocals are not great and is really my struggle with the record. The production sounds pretty thin too (that drum sound, yikes). The band overcomes this on some cool tracks like Fire Fire that is quite the ripper in 80s Priest fashion and Meteorite which is the most unique song on Outer Limits, sounding more like an American 80s hard rock band trying to push away from their hair metal label.
There is nothing bad and some good stuff on Outer Limits. If you can get past the thin sounding production and can handle the vocals, this traditional metal record brought forth by Salem UK should scratch an itch for you. If not, go listen to Gutter Ballet for the thousandth time. 6/10
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