AGAINST EVIL – 2018 “All Hail The King” label: private web: https://againstevil.bandcamp.com/ From India hails 4-piece unit Against Evil, and though this part of the planet is not exactly known for its Metal, these guys are cut above most retro Metal bands, delivering a mix of HardRock / Metal / PowerMetal and Thrash that just oozes this genuine 80's Metal character and style with a strong Anthemic / Barbaric Metal feel a la Manowar, as evidenced on the bobbing fist pumpers “The Army Of Four” and “Gods Of Metal”. Contrasting twists are the early Metallica (“Seek DESOLATION ANGELS – 2018 “King” & Destroy”) styled Thrasher “Mean Machine” and the Fear Factory - meets - modern label: Dissonance records Metal esque “Sentenced To Death”. Another change in style and approach comes in web: https://www.desolationangels.co.uk/ the shape of a rather linear Mainstream Rocker that is put right with the pounding If there is a NWOTHM album that nails the modern adaptation of the NWOBHM PowerMetaler “We Won't Stop”. Vocalage features two styles; hoarse and rough for thing, then it is Desolation Angles. Not much of a surprise coming from a band that the heavier outings and and more melodic edged to accommodate the Epic Metal actually were part of the NWOBHM machine; they've just powered up the whole thing, minded tracks. Music is mainly mid / up-tempo driven with guitar oriented themes and including some really heavy, grainy guitars. This makes the band occasionally tend to some tasty solo actions. Add to this a clean production, and a neat, balanced PowerMetal down the up-tempo cruncher “Another Turn Of The Screw”, and the dark- performance, and the outcome is a potent and highly entertaining slab of manly edged “Your Blackened Heart”. There is all-out NWOBHM in the shape of Metal. Solid! Paul van der Burght “Doomsday”, and matters slow down a bit with the Saxon esque “Devil Sent”, the slow grinder “My Demon Inside”, and the heavy, semi-balladry of “Find Your Life”. This is also the moment where the vocalage peaks, delivering a muscular roar and lots of volume. For most of the time, the vocals operate in a deserving, melodic edged mid- tone that on more than one occasion clicks with Biff Byford (Saxon). There's a good allround diversity within the repertoire that does really well in terms of accessibility and entertainment value. Overall, “King” is a power packed outing that is further upped by the quality musicianship and its beefy production. Paul van der Burght SATAN – 2018 “Cruel Magic” HIGH COMMAND 7”EP 2018 label: Metal Blade records “The Premordial Void” https://www.facebook.com/officialsatanpage/ label: Haftvad records U.K's Satan are one of the pioneering acts songs: The Premordial Void / from the early NWOBHM generation adopting Labyrinth Of Pain // a faster, more Speed oriented approach whilst https://highcommand.bandcamp.com/ still retaining this NWOBHM undertone. This Massachusetts based band that formula worked, and still does to this very day, debuted in 2016 with “The Secartha although there's no traces of the NWOBHM Demos”. Their most recent work sound left, apart from the unique vocal tone of couples two tracks of intense, old NWOBHM deluxe singer Brian Ross, and this school DeathMetal / DeathThrash with very heavy, grinding Thrash guitars. First one one track; “Ghosts Of Monongah”, and up, “The Premordial Void” sounds like a mishmash of Whiplash, Slayer and Sodom; particles of “Into The Mouth Of Eternity”. fast and relentless with gruff, talk-type growl vocals. “Labyrinth Of Pain” tends Overall, the set hovers in between a varied towards classic Swedish DeathMetal dressed with DeathThrash styled vocals and array of genres, includingPowerMetal, Thrash slower, Thrash oriented mid-tempos alongside its fast programming, This is one 80's & 90's Metal and SpeedMetal. Fastest tunes on offer include the rhythm riffed harsh, in-the-face offering that comes with a matching, razor sharp production and “The Doomsday Clock”, the monster-riff driven “Who Among Us”, and the U.S some good, mobility drummage. Solid Paul van der Burght Power / Speed styled “My Prophetic Soul” and “Death Knell For A King”. Down the slower end of the spectrum are the chunky, 80's Metaler “Cruel Magic”, the driven and TRAUMA – 2019 “As The World Dies” rhythmic, PowerMetal edged “Legions Hellbound” (featuring some great drummage), label: Pure Steel records the sludgy, atmospheric laden “Ophidian” (that has a certain click with Megadeth), web: https://www.traumametal.com and the moderately paced, 90's Metal minded “Mortality”. The album stands out in Re-release of the 2018 album by retro U.S diversity and impact and comes with a slight melodic edge and a whole lot of guitar Metalers Trauma that moved under the radars and drum hooks. In all, an impressive and convincing set that entertains al the way of recognition despite having released a worthy through. Great! album, “Scratch And Scream” in '84. The band Paul van der Burght released a come-back album, “Rapture And Wrath” in 2015 and has now followed it up with “As The World Dies”; a potent display of 90's FORTRESS - EP 2018 “Fortress” (private) styled U.S PowerMetal that comes with all the https://www.facebook.com/Fortressheavymetal trimmings, including superb, all-out California based Fortress doing some classic, PowerMetal vocalage courtesy of original mid-80's Metal with a strong European root. Trauma singer Donny Hiller, delivering a The melodic edged opening tune “Witchcraft” muscular upper mid-range tone with a solid radiates all that in a Breaker meets Maiden sort of sound that is dressed with some nice, Vibrato and siren yells. Strong point throughout the album is the accessibility and extended solo actions, “Midnight Dream” is energy of its songs, even regarding the fact that the majority of tracks range from another riff-based outing somewhere in slow and grinding tempos (powering the bobbing “Asylum”, the pounding “Entropy” between Dokken and Malice whilst the up- and the first half of “As The World Dies”) to Power balladry (“Last Rites”). The set is tempo “Bloodmoon” has Iron Maiden written accelerated twice on the Euro-Metal sourced Headbanger “Run For Cover” and the propelling, grooved up “Gun To Your Head” that in certain areas may bring Pantera to all over; a comparison that is inevitable with a mind. In all, a complete, diverse and very convincing album with a high singer that sounds much like Bruce Dickinson entertainment value. Strong. Paul van der Burght with a James Neal (Malice) styled sidekick, pushed forward on the driven, Malice / Maiden merged “Peace In Hell”. It is exactly those great, wide-range power vocals that add up in delivery of a sticky set that is musically fit with some cool, tasty guitar flash. Great stuff. Paul van der Burght DEATHSTORM – 2018 “Reaping What Is Left” (High Roller records) https://www.facebook.com/deathstormthrash These Austrian Deathsters may not score top points in originality, incorporating a strong Slayer taste - that is most evidently on the “South Of Heaven” esque “Ossuary Darkness”, and the fast, snare drummed “Unholy Lamentations” - however, the band makes up for it in its delivery, squeezing the maximum out of the 90's DeathThrash thing on the album's heaviest and best picks “Hallowed Ground” (a double bass-drummed Thrash frenzy), and the equally intense “By Sword, By Pick, By Axe” with its gripping chorus. There's the occasional hint of Exodus popping up on certain tunes, and concept as a whole comes with a razor sharp guitar sound, hard as nails vocals and a K.O production. Cool. Paul van der Burght 4.