Then you have the bands that make up the rest and are decent at best. Bands are included or considered as nu-metal tend not to embrace the label.

Heavy Association with MTV

I believe the best reason for this is that nu-metal was one of the genres to be pushed by MTV in the late 90s and early 2000s. Normally this wouldn’t be a bad thing. After all, a whole television network is showcasing your band’s sounds as well as those of your contemporaries.

However that’s usually where the cooperation ends. Despite having songs about youth rebellion, relationships, emotions, and everything else that would appeal to an angry 2000s teen, nu-metal was ultimately just another pool of music to fill its TV slots.

As a result, it became closely associated with MTV and its product. Actually, despite being at the other end of the rock spectrum compared to glam metal and grunge, this genre was third in line to fly the rock flag on the network.

Again, these bands got popularity and mainstream power from being featured regularly on MTV. Rock music tours where these bands were featured got attention on TV as well.

While magazines gave them some sustainable attention, the association of the wave with MTV put a rocket pack to many of them and blasted them past a few years of grinding for that attention. Remember, in the 1990s and early 2000s, eyes were on music networks.

Not everyone was going to get magazines to read about bands. Especially if you didn’t know if the bands or artists you were interested in were even going to be covered.

You knew you’d see Korn’s “Freak on A Leash” or Limp Bizkit’s “Nookie” on MTV or The Box. Plus, you’d hear interviews from them and see their performances.

Actually, It Was Just Like Glam Metal

Imagery-wise, content, and sound-wise, nu-metal was different from glam metal but it had that effect on bands that didn’t embrace the label. That’s why I say it was a wave—just like glam metal—in that some bands that just sounded heavier or more aggressive got washed up in it.

You also had acts either embraced elements of the wave just to experiment with their sound. Other bands were nu-metal early on, morphed into another genre in its early years and are were still presented as nu-metal.

Bands that come to mind are Slipknot, Fear Factory, and Deftones. Slipknot and Fear Factory had the heaviness and aggression of bands from this period while Deftones were particularly flexible with exploring sounds throughout its run.

Because they were contemporaries of other bands lumped into the wave and the media at the time had the term, bands with varying sounds got the label.

The same thing happened in the 1980s with the glam metal scene—especially in Los Angeles—with bands such as W.A.S.P, Twisted Sister, and Lizzy Borden being labeled as glam metal at the times.

Those bands just shared some of the imagery of glam bands but generally had a sound that was closer to anthemic and narrative heavy metal bands. They didn’t have the heavy pop leanings but could drop some mainstream hits.

Nu-Metal Was the Perfect for Its Time

Right alongside nu-metal was alternative metal and alternative rock. Both genres were very flexible and saw bands explore different sounds and tempos. Some bands sounded similar purely because they came out the same area and that was the wave.

Actually, nu-metal could’ve been called alternative metal the whole time. If you look at bands such as Korn, Kittie, and Slipknot on Wikipedia, alternative metal is listed under “Genres” along with nu-metal.

The truth is that they were alternative metal all along but nu-metal was better for marketing that alternative metal. It’s short, punchy, and can include alternative metal, rap metal, industrial metal all under one umbrella.

To a degree that was just lazy marketing but it beats having mainstream fans remember multiple genres…even though I feel that genres help people find specific sounds and art without having to rummage through thousands of bands.

Ultimately, the sound was perfect for the time. The nu-metal wave introduced a lot of bands that spoke to young people of the time just like grunge rock and alternative rock did early in the 1990s.

With time, revisiting their catalogues, and trying out these bands’ more recent material, you gain a new view on these bands’ musicianship and how they were above a trendy wave that only lasted a few years.

Give Them Another Listen

It’s hard for a listener because there’s so much music out there, tastes change with age, and that nu-metal label just smacks of “I remember when I used to listen to those guys.”

It just sounds like a genre you should’ve grown out of as an adult. Many bands shook the label and showed what they were doing the whole time. I say to fans who listened back then: many of those bands are still making music and some of it is good.

Hell, most of them that are still kicking around today have matured their sound to the point that it doesn’t sound anything like it did in the late 90s and early 2000s.

For them it wasn’t trying something new to shake the label or trying to cash in on an emerging genre. The nu-metal wave has bands that were influential on future bands that fall more in the metal side of rock or just heavier than their predecessors.

As for those older bands from the period, it was just natural growth as artists. My favorite band Judas Priest grew as artists over a long period.

There was a period where they explored something new to get in on an emerging style—the same with my other favorite Slayer—but with matured songwriting, they got to the point that they could attempt a different sound or a concept album.

The bigger names of the nu-metal wave are no different in that respect.

Staff Writer; James Swift, Jr.

This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.

In 1999, the band dropped its third album Post Orgasmic Chill. This is the album that turned me on to the band and prompted me look into the first two albums as well as Skin’s solo stuff.

An Intro to Skin

As I’ve mentioned multiple times: I’m big on singers and Skin has a powerful voice. Along with Cass on bass, Ace on the axe, and Mark Richardson on drums, Skin was a band to check out.

A lack of traction and radio play in the U.S meant that you had to really be an audiophile seeking new tunes if you were an American listener.

Born August 3, 1967 in the Brixton section of London she grew up in a “strict Jamaican” family. Her early brushes with music came via her grandfather’s basement nightclub.

While she was inspired by other music, originally, she wanted to go a more classical route and play the piano. This part of her history always interested me because that seems to be a key part in the roots of a lot of pioneering Black musicians in rock.

Many have classical or traditional training whether it was via music lessons or in the choir but the path they take is rock. That background adds to a different sound to whatever instrument.

In Skin’s case, it was these vocals that could sound soulful even when the song itself is less praise and celebratory and more rebellious and aggressive. Post-Skunk, she embarked on a solo career and also began DJing electric dance music (EDM).

Skin’s Voice

One thing to point out about Skunk Anansie is that in listening to their 90s trifecta of albums in 2021, you might realize that the overall sound is very 90s. It doesn’t sound dated but you know it came from the 90s.

There were several bands from that period that had a sound similar to Skunk’s. They might have taken the more aggressive parts or they took the stuff that leaned more towards mellow-range alternative rock.

Other bands did similar to Skunk Anansie and featured both approaches. One thing they couldn’t emulate was Skin’s voice. When you hear it, you know it belongs to a seasoned, talented singer with a set of lungs on them.

The closest comparison while still in the same genre would probably be Shirley Manson of Garbage—a band from the same period—only with a different vocal range.

Manson’s sit at contralto while Skin is in the soprano range. However, they were both able to deliver these voices that matched the direction of their respective bands at the time.

The Sound of Skunk Anansie

The best way to describe the band’s sound is that it’s a mix of everything. There’s some punk, hard rock, a drop of pop. I say “a drop” because there are some catchy songs in their catalog but a lot of their tunes have this energy and power to them.

You can attribute that to Skin’s ridiculously powerful vocals and strong instrumentals from the rest of the band. They just blend perfectly. You could actually take each member, put them in a different act, and get a different sound.

Whether it’s a good or bad sound depends on your personal tastes but you will get something different. On their 90s albums, you’re likely to hear some aggressive, intense songs alongside tunes that are soulful and more reflective but still have that same weight to them as the aggressive ones.

Again, Post Orgasmic Chill is probably the best example of this balance whereas the first three Skunk Anansie albums gave you a more aggressive mix from start to finish.

Staff Writer; James Swift, Jr.

This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.

However, the California offerings beside Hirax don’t get that much of a mention. I sum it up as not having that big of catalog or a strong output across decades. We’re looking at what I feel is the better introduction to Sound Barrier of its two full length releases: 1986’s Speed of Light.

Side A of Speed of Light

The first five tracks of Speed of Light make for an extremely strong A-side. It was as if Sound Barrier was expecting this album to be a breakout project for the band and they went all out on the four original tracks and the Thin Lizzy cover which closes out the side.

The opening/titular track kicks things off with some speed metal that wouldn’t be out of place on a U.S power metal release of this period such as Omen’s Battle Cry or Jag Panzer’s Ample Destruction. This song gives a sampling of what to expect for the rest of the album as for the band’s sound and approach.

My personal favorite from the A-side is the follow-up tune “Gladiator” which is right up my alley when comes to more sci-fi or fantasy-themed speed metal. If we’re not in the whipping through the wasteland in war wagons, I like my speed metal along these lines and could’ve taken an album of just this from Sound Barrier.

“On the Level (Head Banger)” and “What Price of Glory?” are both good tracks that keep the A-side just rocking along. They don’t slow down the album or give an early breather but the album as a whole isn’t the fastest thing. It’s very up tempo throughout but we’re talking about a pounder-heavy project. It’s not ripping through tracks like a Kreator or Sodom release.

Closing out the A-side is a clean cover of Thin Lizzy’s “Hollywood (Down on Yours Luck)” . Now, I enjoy the original from the 1981 release Renegade but I really dig the pace of this one. The OG track has a some grit to it, Sound Barrier’s sounds like it has better production for the time in addition to a little more heaviness. It’s similar to the Judas Priest treatment of Joan Baez’s “Diamonds and Rust” that I love.

Strongest Tracks: Speed of Light, Gladiator**, Hollywood (Down on Your Luck)*

B-Side

Kicking off the B-side is “Fight for Life!” which puts us back into something that could’ve been on an early Omen or Jag Panzer release. Or more specifically a number of U.S power metal albums that dropped in the early-mid 1980s. Along with speed metal and thrash, that genre is right up my alley, so this was very pleasing to the ear.

The heavyweight of this side is “Aim for the Top” which could’ve been the opening track. It has more speed to it than the previous track and would’ve been at home on the A-side. This is the 80s metal I love to hear and if Speed of Light had been along these lines from start to finish, I’d say this was an essential listen for the speed merchants.

“Hard As a Rock” is heavy track that straddles between heavier hard rock and a pretty run of the mill heavy metal pounder. It’s not the heaviest of pounders but it’s still a solid tune. It has the misfortune of coming after “Aim for the Top” and would’ve probably been better served as the closer to the stronger A-side.

Thinking about it, this track and the closer “On to the Next Adventure” are the best examples of the overall production of this album. It will remind you of a NWOBHM era album. Other tracks on the album had enough speed and energy to them that production took a bit of a back seat to my observations but these two tunes don’t have that same umph as most tracks here.

However, Sound Barrier didn’t slack on the album closer. It’s a good, heavy song with some get up and go that ends things on a strong but unfulfilling note as there was no next adventure for Sound Barrier. There wouldn’t be a single until 2017 then nothing else.

Following Speed of Light, Sound Barrier called it a day and some members moved on to other bands, notably projects associated with former short-time Sound Barrier guitarist Alex Masi.

Strongest Tracks: Fight for Life, Aim for the Top**, On to the Next Adventure

Strength of the Opener: Speed of Light

As mentioned above, the titular track “Speed of Light” is a strong opener for this album. It does the job of establishing either the pace or atmosphere of the album

Oddly enough, when I first gave this album a listen years ago, I remember not thinking much of the opener. Looking back, I was heavily into my new wave of thrash bag and I preferred blistering fast tracks start to finish. When I got into Manowar, Chastain, and Omen, a gained an appreciation for “Speed of Light”.

So, it’s a great opening track for the album. Alternative opening tracks include “Gladiator” from the A-side and “Aim for the Top” from the B-side.

Staff Writer; James “Metal” Swift Jr.

This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.

At the  time of the band ‘s formation they weren’t playing thrash metal but by the time of the 1985 demo Black Metal (featuring a cover of Venom’s landmark song of the same name), the band was delivering speedy metal.

The demo dropped just a bit after the debut full-length albums from Metallica, Anthrax and Slayer and same year that Exodus released their debut album. However, a full-length album wouldn’t come about until 1990. What we’re looking at is the 1998 album To Kill Evil, a reissue of the 1990 self-titled debut sans the four extra tracks.

A-Side of To Kill Evil

Off the bat, the first two tracks slap. They slap hard. The titular track sets up what you think the entire album will be with a strong, fast-paced pounder led by Coffey’s vocal work but then you get the awesome display of speed and vocal ability that is the Starks-led “Time Is at Hand”. Remember the opening as we go through the album.

I’m a big fan of vocalists such Sergeant Salsten from Deathhammer and Stace “Sheepdog” McLaren formerly of Razor where both of their voices have bite and grit to them but they can also fling their voices into piercing, screams. I’ll always mark out for a piercing scream in a song and “Time Is at Hand” has the right amount.

“Pain” slows things down early into the album. It’s one of three slower or mid-tempo tunes on the album but it’s solid. Things pick up a bit with “The Great Controversy” which starts on the slow side but heads into speed metal territory in the second half of the song. The vocals here are more spoken word which works well here.

Stone Vengeance picks things up again with “The Persecution” which is a bit thrashy at points but pretty funky and speedy throughout. I dig this song a bit for the bass and drum heaviness here. We’ll run with this track as the A-side closer since this reissue was on CD and featured a reshuffling of tracks.

Strongest Tracks: To Kill Evil, Time Is at Hand**

B-side

The B-side opens with a short instrumental which is almost inaudible on the iTunes version of the album. It’s an acoustic piece. Following that is “Malice” which returns to the thrash approach of the first two tracks of the album.

I wouldn’t say it’s stronger than “Time Is at Hand” but it has more power and punch than the title track which opens the album. Coffey continues the vocal duties here and a song like this is what I lean into more to appreciate his vocal ability and delivery.

Now, I love my faster tracks but “Higher Now” is a pretty good, slower-tempo piece. Beyond the faster stuff which Coffey’s voice is suited for, something like this works. Following that is another instrumental which is more audible than the first (“Bullfight”). It sets up for what is technically the album’s closer of the original tracks: “Long Live Stone Vengeance”.

Coffey’s vocal performance here features moments where he pops a scream and I could’ve used more of those here. The band as a whole delivers a speedy ride that is similar to very early thrash where it isn’t pure power, speed and aggression. Again, see the first two tracks on the album.

Strongest Tracks: Malice, Higher Now, Long Live Stone Vengeance

Best of the Bonuses

Looking at the four bonus or additional tracks, you have a good cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Foxy Lady” and “The Pill” as the standouts. The cover has Coffey more in his bluesy hard rock bag. He was also in that bag for the song “Chase” which is worth a listen as well. For me, it had the relatability of hip-hop or soul in rock trappings was thumbs up from me.

“The Pill” does the same but in thrashier trappings. It’s as if Rick James did speed metal or thrash without ending up at groove metal or funk metal. Stone Vengeance took Black musical storytelling throughout and kept it well within a speedy approach.

The Best: Foxy Lady, The Pill*

Strength of the Opener: To Kill Evil

With there being a few style and tempo changes throughout the album, the opener did it’s job in getting me interested in checking out the rest of the project. It lets you know that there will be some thrashing going on but it doesn’t let you know about the entire musical journey.

Well, to a degree. You kind of get an idea of the lyrical approach or themed covered here with songs about belief and basically spirituality but it isn’t antagonistic. Had the album been entirely thrash along the lines of the strongest songs on the album with some venturing into “Chase” territory, I’d say it’s a strong opener. However, it’s more of a strong song on it’s own and a solid opener.

“Time Is at Hand” would be the best replacement opener while “Malice” would do alright in that slot. Overall, this was an enjoyable listen and I’m looking for to checking out the available 2000 release The Angel.

Staff Writer; James “Metal” Swift Jr.

This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.

Who is Max Georgiev?

Hailing from Quebec, Max Georgiev is a veteran guitarist who can also get the job done on bass and as a background singer. I’m most familiar with Georgiev’s work in the band Falling in Reverse where he had a lengthy run with the act from 2018 until 2024.

However, checking out his musical career prior to Falling in Review shows work with talent or working on a projects involving noted musicians and bands such as Firewind leader and guitarist Gus G (formerly of Ozzy Osbourne) and Arch Enemy’s former lead singer and fellow Canadian rocker Alissa White-Gluz. His guitar work is rooted heavily in the hard and heavy end of rock.

Joining Georgiev on this release are Jaycee Clark (vocals, Blank Era), Johnny Mele (drums, formerly of Falling in Reverse), and Gabriel Connor (bass). Production is handled by Kile Odell, who has also worked with Papa Roach and recently Blank Era.

Since this is our first EP review, we’ll go into each track on this release and see what he’s got going on here.

Believe In You EP

We’ve got a nice, tidy three tracks on this EP with the titular track “Believe In You” kicking things off.

“Believe in You”

Now, I’d actually like to do the title track last because it also features a well-shot music video showcasing Georgiev and his new act. However, it’s the first track you’ll  hear and it’s definitely the strongest track of the three.

“Believe In You” has the band’s strings and percussion firing on all cylinders. Of course, Max Georgiev has to deliver the goods performance-wise since it’s his band but there are no slouches here. Vocalist Jaycee Clark really impressed me on this track and I had to check out her work with her own act Blank Era.

Her singing along with the energetic performance of the band on this track really pushed this track to being the best on the EP. It took perhaps three listens of the EP (again, three tracks so it wasn’t a trek or anything) for me to decide between “Believe In You” and the third track, “Once Called Home”.

“Untouchable”

The second track here is “Untouchable”, a solid track that is something of a blend between the two songs it’s sandwiched between. This is a track that I could easily see in one of the WWE’s premium live events’ highlight packages. It has that energy that the company likes for some of its packages where they only play a portion of the song before promoting it or as a the promotional theme while reading the card. The same goes for the title track.

Overall, it’s not a track to skip but you have a banger before it and a good album closer. One thing it has over the next entry is the energy and tempo. It simply goes harder and that’s right up my alley.

“Once Called Home”

For a potential full-length release, “Once Called Home” would be a very strong track in that position. It doesn’t go as hard as the previous two tracks but it could definitely close out an album or at least kick off the second half of an album.

Clark gives a good vocal performance here and we get some spotlighting guitar action from Max Georgiev. However, it could’ve used a little more of Max’s guitar magic in it. Then again, it would have to be a longer song for that and either “Believe In You” or “Unbreakable” would make better use of an extra minute or so.

In short, it’s another good pick for this single.

Verdict

When you have a single that features different songs and not multiple versions of one song, you’re expecting the artist or band to put their best foot forward. Or least deliver a good showing.

Georgiev and the gang do just that with Believe In You. The songs might sound like something you’ve heard before or a combination of songs and bands you’ve heard already but the guitars, drums, and the singer all deliver something that makes me anticipate a full release.

I actually want to know what else Max and the crew have cooking, so the EP did its job. Now, I could’ve done with some extra solos from Max on the first and third songs, I really liked what I was hearing. If not extra solos, lengthier ones. Clark’s singing wowed me enough to check out her previous projects, both Connor and Mele hold it down on bass and drums respectively.

All around, this single was worth a listen and a couple replays until Georgiev drops some new stuff. I’m giving “Strongest Track” honors to “Believe In You”. It’s a banger and has both album-carrying power and soundtrack potential.

Staff Writer; James “Metal” Swift Jr.

This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.

Cristobal Gallardo – A Puro Corazón (Pure Heart)

However, Gallarado also has a solo project where the focus is on more technical, soulful playing. We’ll be looking at his 2024 release A puro corazón (Pure Heart). It’s a brief listen at just over 31 minutes and packing seven tracks.

Let’s dive in! Also, expect a look at their This New World… EP soon. As always, “*” next to a song is totally worth playing while “**” is one that was added to a playlist.

Side A

Track lists for A puro corazón don’t include sides since it’s a digital release but we’ll make the first four tracks side A, just to keep with our usual reviewing format.

Kicking things off is “Maldita Tentación (Damn Temptation)”. It’s a strong, soulful opener that sets the pace for the album and you definitely want that for an album. That is unless the opener is more of an atmosphere-setting intro.

In the case of “Maldita Tentación” gets right into it but the song doesn’t slam you into the album. It’s not an aggressive piece, it’s soulful piece with varying tempos. Expect this approach for most the album and it actually works. “María Magdalena” is a solid follow-up to the opener and keeps the pace established going.

Things get a shot in the arm with “Carpe Diem” or rather it was more of my pace. I wouldn’t say it was blistering fast. I’ve heard Gallardo rip with Headfist and it’s a mixture of speed and aggression. This track is the other star of the A-side and showcases a mixture of speed and power. He’s not ripping here, he’s shredding.

All that said, the ending was an interesting choice of an edit. This track also feels shorter than it actually is. It clocks in at a little over four minutes but felt like two or three minutes. On my initial listen it actually seemed to bleed into the next track and I didn’t pick up the ending.

Closing out side A is my pick for the best track of the side and the album: “My All”. It’s a cover of one of Mariah Carey’s classic songs from the 1997 album Butterfly. Some track listings don’t include that this is a cover in the title but the song title looked familiar. While listening to it, I instantly picked up the lyrics from Carey’s song and was surprised that it was a cover!

It definitely got a few replays and ended up in a playlist or two. Check this song out if you dig neoclassical metal or a shred cover of songs from another genre. It’s damn good.

Strongest Tracks: Carpe Diem, My All**

Side B

Our fifth track and B-side opener is “A puro corazón (Pure Heart)”. It’s another track that showcases Cristobal Gallarado’s technique very well but it doesn’t exactly have that energy you’ll hear from him in “Carpe Diem” on this album and comes after that performance of “My All”. It’s closer to the opener, “Maldita Tentación” and “María Magdalena”.

Next, we have “Toma Tiempo Sanar… (It Takes Time…)”. This track starts out similar to “A puro corazón” in tempo but business picks up in the second half of the song before closing out strong in the last minute. I’m a track placement nerd and this is definitely a track that could I see earlier in the album. It has heart to it and a bit of the energy that I like.

“Por ti le rezo” or “For you I pray” is a strong closer that starts as a soulful piece but at two minute and forty seconds grows into a riding pounder which surprised me. That ending run of the song is also why I remembered the exact time. I had to run it back to see.

I was expecting a somber ending to A puro corazón but I was pleasantly surprised here. Could it have been placed anywhere else on the album? Probably if you swapped its placement on the album with “My All”, the only other track that could’ve ended this project on a high note.

Strongest Tracks: Por ti le rezo*

Verdict

Neoclassical metal and shred are always harder for me to review when there isn’t a vocalist on the project. In the case of older Yngwei J. Malmsteen albums, he often had a strong vocalist who got some of the spotlight. This is similar to a modern Yngwei album where the spotlight is all on the axeman and their guitar gymnastics.

That aside, this was a fun listen. You have a young guitarist who is dedicated to his craft balancing two projects and this album showcases a serious, passionate approach to playing. Cristobal Gallardo having a cover of a Mimi song was the surprise here for me. The entire project had a lot to dig into if you enjoy hearing players take the starring role as opposed to playing an important role in the band or within other musicians’ focus for an act.

Strongest Track of the Album: My All (Mariah Carey cover)

Staff Writer; James “Metal” Swift Jr.

This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.

Chad Brown of Engage

Engage was a Virginia-based power metal band that played speedy pounders. The combination of fast-tempo, explosive playing powerful, operatic vocals were the key for power metal of the European variety. Bands such as Blind Guardian, Helloween, and Gamma Ray had major roles to play in this direction with BG and Helloween coming from speed metal origins.

Engage’s direction on their 2005 demo was the fastest of Blind Guardian and Hammerfall with some great vocals. As mentioned previously, I’m a big vocals fan and Chad Brown’s performance on the demo was great. I was already sold on the band from the blistering tempo but Brown’s sing and piercing screech sealed the deal.

I first heard Engage on a Pandora power metal stream and looked them up on metal blogs. This would’ve been 2008, a year after their second demo and last release Don’t Look Back. That’s where the band ends, no word of what other bands the members went to or the different musical directions taken afterwards.

I always felt that was a shame because Engage was everything I like and want in a band down to the screeching vocals with this kind of lyrical content.

Songs to Check Out: Pain and Glory, Conqueror

Sergeant Saitan of Deathhammer

Next, we head to Norway for another favorite vocalist of that period, Sergeant Saitan of Deathhammer. This band formed a little after Engage but is still going strong today with banger after banger of albums filled to the brim with rippers.

Saitan’s vocals are pretty much what I’m usually looking for with thrash: dirty, growl-riddled with shrieks that can come out of nowhere. With the instrument barrage of band member Sadomancer (who also does backing vocals), Sergeant Saitan’s vocals really pop during a rapid, rowdy ripper.

Songs to Check Out: Fullmoon Sorcery, Rot Shreds

Jason Conde-Houston of Skelator

The Seattle-based metal band Skelator is a favorite of mine from the early 2000s. I first came across them on a metal blog and looked into them purely on the album cover of their 2008 full-length debut Give Me Metal or Give Me Death. I was not disappointed at all. There’s a lot of speed metal in Skelator to go along with their heavier power metal approach.

Hell, even the more mid-tempo (kind of rare for Skelator) tracks have a tendency to explode into a fast-paced pounder. It’s what they’ve excelled at since 1998 and the vocals leading the charge belong to Jason Conde-Houston.

Now, I’ve gone into the band’s style and vocalist in a review of their demo. The band has only gotten better from that release with experience, better production and expanding their topics lyrically. Sure you can still hear swords, sorcery, and magical evils but you’re also getting love for anime, video games, and metal.

And still you have JCH either speeding through verses frantically or growling through them yet always firing off his screeching wail like some fusion between Rob Halford and  80s Mark “The Shark” Shelton.

Again, this is right up my alley. It’s the same approach as Engage only the band stayed the course and improved with time and lineup changes.

Songs to Check Out: Raging Demon, Agents of Power

Adam G. Warrior of Dismantle

I’ve definitely discussed California’s Dismantle and their 2009 debut Satanic Force. It’s in my top five new wave of thrash debuts because of how the raw energy the entire album had. It wasn’t the most musically unique of that wave nor would I say it was the best but few speed metal and thrash bands from that period match that level of energy on a debut.

I’d put Power from Hell’s The True Metal, Evil in the Night by Merciless Death, and Apokalyptic Raids’ Only Death is Real in that same realm of roughness mixed with tons of energy in playing and singing. Sure, there were bands with higher technical skill and better control over their voice but that unchained approach was what made Satanic Force such an incredible debut.

A major factor of that was the performance of Adam G. Warrior smashing the gas on his voice on each song as he belted out his shriek. There were some songs where you’d get it multiple times and it fit whatever track the album had reached each time.

His vocal approach was more muted in the follow-up release Enter the Forbidden and while Satanic Force isn’t on Apple Music, you can check it out on YouTube.

Songs to Check Out: Satanic Force, Vile Spell

Staff Writer; James “Metal” Swift Jr.

This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.

We’ll have to dive into this project as there was no listed demos or other projects before the full-length debut for Three. It simply dropped in March 2023 via Black Mold Records, a label that has typically released sludge metal and doom metal projects.

Now, a label’s usual output doesn’t indicate that’s all you’re going to find. You could look through the catalog of a black metal label and find some old school metal in the mix of album releases by bands on the label.

In the case of Three, the release is in the slower waters of doom but with a late 70s-early 80s metal sound. Not so much Black Sabbath but more like a grimier Cirith Ungol with some healthy splashes of Brocas Helm thrown in.

A major contributing factor to that approach is the tandem of  multi-instrumentalist Corey Bing and guitarist/bass player Bahb Branca. The two are Ohio sludge scene veterans who have played in several acts together—many most with releases on Black Mold Records.

Opening Act of Three

Three has seven tracks across almost 31-minutes. The opener is “County Line”, a track that gives “controlled Brocas Helm” vibes. It’s not a rapid jaunt but it’s not s slog either, we’re talking about a pounder that gives the listener some idea of what to expect sonically. This song and “Red Dragon” have a kind of dungeon epicness to it—especially “Red Dragon”.

That track really piqued my interest in the rest of album because it reminds me of what I like to hear from epic heavy metal or U.S power metal: not too produced or clean but still epic in a Conan or Kull sense.

While “Red Dragon” really impressed, “For Your Love”, the second track on the album is the standout of the opening three songs. The longest track on the album, “For Your Love” is a slower-paced affair but it showed what this trio could do with a lengthier piece.

Strongest Tracks: For Your Love, Red Dragon

Second Act

The fourth  “Missing You” is somewhat similar to “For Your Love” only shorter and heavier. The doom is much thicker here. “Remember” is a longer rocker that could’ve been on Black Death. It still has that cavernous sound and slower-tempo while not being similar to other tunes on the album.

If you like your dark and slow romantic doom then “When Your Love Comes Down” might not be too up your alley. It’s notably faster than other tracks on Three and it gets the thumbs up from me. One thing I always liked about old school doom is that you could get a speeder on a slower-paced or mid-tempo release and it would stand out—sometimes as if it was the star of the show such as “Free Country” from Witchfinder General’s Death Penalty.

Closing out the album is “Mirror of Darkness”, a song that has a similar tempo to “When Your Love Comes Down” and gave me more of what I was seeking from this release lyrically: fantasy or dark fantasy themes. It’s a strong closer and could’ve been a stronger opener.

Strongest Tracks: Missing You, When Your Love Comes Down*, Mirror of Darkness*

Strength of the Opener: County Line

Opening tracks are very important since they can set the pace for the album or give the listener an idea of what they’re getting into. The faster and more bombastic, the stronger the opening, for me. In the case of Three, “County Line” is an opener: not the strongest but not the worst choice to kick things off.

However, tunes like “For Your Love”, “Red Dragon”, and the closer “Mirror of Darkness” are very strong picks to open the album just by being the standout tracks on this release.

Staff Writer; James “Metal” Swift Jr.

This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.

Canada’s metal scene at this time always piqued my interest. While Razor’s releases really impressed me, it was the acts that had something “extra” to them that always had me returning and digging into their discographies.

Let’s look at five old school bands from the Great White North—a bit of a refresher or soft introduction, if you will.

Razor

Hailing from Ontario, Razor is one of the bands that were referenced in Darkthrone’s 2007 song “Canadian Metal”, this thrash reminds me of a Canadian Sodom in the speed and fury of their performances and the consistency in quality of their releases.

During its existence, the Canadian thrashers have had two vocalists of note in the late “Sheepdog” McLaren—known for some aggressive squeals—and Bob Reid, who added even more attitude to the vocal approach of the band.

Mind you, Razor has had more than two vocalists but these are the two who appear on their projects. Switching vocalists is always precarious work but when the albums dropped, they always had bangers regardless of the decade or period in metal.

Tracks to Try: Speed Merchants, Cross Me Fool, Road Gunner, Bad Vibrations

Exciter

Another Ontario act, Exciter is somewhat similar to Razor—or rather, Exciter was always recommended alongside Razor. If you’re unfamiliar with Exciter but you know of our next entry in Anvil, they’re a faster, more aggressive Anvil.

What always stood out about Exciter to me was that their drummer Dan Beehler does the vocals. Beehler the vocals until the early 1990s and it made some exciting songs with him shouting over the riffs and blasts of the band.

Look at that, a band living up to an on-the-nose band name! I dig it.

If you’re considering diving into Exciter, I recommend their first three albums; Heavy Metal Maniac, Violence & Force, and Long Live the Loud with Violence & Force being a treat.

Tracks to Try: Violence & Force, Pounding Metal, Cry of the Banshee, Iron Dogs

Anvil

Guess where these Canadian legends hail from—correct! Another Ontario band. If you guessed “Quebec” or “The Maritimes” then…maybe next time?

Anvil tends to play speed metal but you will get some mid-tempo pounders. That’s what the band always excelled at one their albums: pounders of varying tempos.

If the intensity of Razor or Exciter are a bit much and you just want to headbang or rock out: Anvil’s your band. I recommend UK speed metal legends Raven for a similar sound and tempo.

As for some recommend viewing check out their 2013 documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil.

Tracks to Try: Winged Assassins, Metal on Metal, Shadow Zone, Embalmer

Piledriver

Yeah, we’re not leaving Ontario. As a matter of fact, the original entry here was a British Columbia veteran in Thor. Yes, Jon-Mikl “Thunder on the Tundra” Thor.

There are two periods of the Piledriver band: OG ‘driver and The Exalted Piledriver of the 2000s. Well, technically there’s three as during the late 80s and early 90s, Piledriver performed as Dogs with Jobs.

DWJ had two good full length releases but they lacked that abrasive humor and catchiness of Piledriver. We’re mainly looking at the first iteration of ‘driver as those two albums Metal Inquisition and Stay Ugly—from 1984 and 1986, respectively—had bangers. Some of those bangers were pounders while others were rippers but Piledriver had them both.

Lyrically, ‘driver delivers what you’d hear from their thrash contemporaries with a good dose of dirty humor. Even some serious trappings of thrash pushed into comic book territory at times as with songs like “Sex with Satan” and “Alien R**e” from Metal Inquisition.

It’s a song that had me wondering “What’s even going on here?” As for the landmark Piledriver track: give the pounder “The Fire God” a whirl.

Tracks to Try: Metal Inquisition, Witch Hunt, Metal Death Racer, The Fire God

Voivod

Our fifth entry hails from—hey! Look at that, we got a Quebecoise band in Voivod. This was a band that evolved its sound over the decades while remaining consistent from project to project.

In the same way as changing vocalists can be dicey business, transitioning styles can be troublesome. However, Voivod did that well going from nasty, ripping thrash in their debut War and Pain to evolving their sound along progressive metal lines before the 80s ended.

Listening to those 80s and early 90s albums and hearing that rapid growth is very interesting. I’m a fan of the Motorhead-Sodom school of “If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It” but there’s also the Darkthrone school of “Explore and change over time”. Have eras to your sound, don’t be afraid to revisit the dark arts every now and then.

Voivod is a great example of that.

Tracks to Try: Iron Gang, War and Pain, Slaughter in a Grave, Psychic Vacuum

Staff Writer; James “Metal” Swift Jr.

This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.

And rightfully so, Glover is a singer with range and presence. Both are definite thumbs up in my book. Let’s look at another pioneer in Cleveland, Ohio’s Siki Spacek.

Black Death and Early Ohio Metal

The lead singer and guitarist for pioneering Black heavy metal band Black Death, Siki embodies everything I like about open musicians.

Just being open to different genres or bringing in elements from different eras. Black Death was the start and it came out at a time when the Ohio metal scene was getting its first bands such as Destructor, Chastain, and Axe Master. Bands were exploring both heavier and faster sounds and while many didn’t continue or release a full length, some demos show that “This band was on the right track.”

Black Death was no different in their demos with the second and third having songs worthy of full length placement.

What I dig about Siki’s vocals on this release is that there’s a lot of grit and soul to it. It gives some tracks such as “When Tears Run Red” and “Streetwalker” a different air than pounders like “Scream of the Iron Messiah” and “Here Comes the Wrecking Crew”.

Now, I’ve been listening to interviews to fill myself in about what happened with the band and Siki Spacek post-debut album. A lot occurred in metal worldwide after 1984—in Ohio metal alone—where’s like “Siki’s vocals would fit this.” I have the same thoughts about contemporary Guy Speranza of Riot. It’s a very “what if” scenario where you can plug an artist into different genres, bands, and on particular albums.

For those with long memories, think about that period where Rob Halford being interested in doing black metal was of note.

The Iron Messiah Returns

Decades later and with the band Black Death Resurrected, and Siki delivered The Return of the Iron Messiah. It fit some of what I figured Black Death would’ve grown into in a follow-up—only with modern production and a lot more experience playing. Similar to going through UK thrash veterans Onslaught’s discography—where the band got faster and even more aggressive with modern releases—Black Death Resurrected was a faster, darker BD.

The approach of this band was rooted in the original but it sounded how the band should sound almost 30 years later. That is, if we had 30 years of releases in that time to see the band grow. It was a familiar sound with new energy that delivered a new release filled with pounders.

With that said, The Return of the Iron Messiah dropped in late 2015. Where did Siki ply his vocal talents after?

Three

I touched on the Ohio metal scene of the 80s, the 21^st century of the scene saw a faster breed of bands such as Midnight and Vindicator. It also saw some solo projects and projects from OG acts such as Winters Bane, headed up by vocal veteran Tim “Ripper” Owens.

Eight years after The Return of the Iron Messiah, Siki Spacek returned with his vocal and guitar stylings. With the power trio Three, you see Siki in the mix of a darker, slower metal. There’s a 70s-early 80s doom sound with a lot of cavernousness, it also sounds like straight up late 70s metal from the period at the same time. It’s a change in pace if you’re familiar with some of the stuff Siki’s voice has been involved in but his voice fits this sound.

Ultimately, Spacek is a singer I wish there was a lot more from, heavy metal, doom, speed metal, blues, funk—straight up hard rock—the guy’s voice could fit in with a couple different genres and add an old school “street metal” sound.

If you’re familiar with the work of Siki Spacek, what are some of your favorite releases? Also, if you’re into the Ohio metal scene, share some of your favorite bands.

Staff Writer; James “Metal” Swift Jr.

This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.