In the current music scene, new traditional metal bands are quite rare. In most recent times I take Dark Forest (UK), Stuka Squadron, Crowning Glory and the mighty Conquest of Steel as leaders in their field. That was of course until I heard these Irish chaps Steel Tormentor. Whilst not replacing my admiration for the aforementioned bands, they certainly rank high in the quality stakes when it comes to a younger generation taking on and recreating the classics that made metal what it is today from one angle anyway.
From the slow burning build-up of the intro track, the thunderbolt of true metal glory strikes into action on ‘Evil Coming’ creating a pounding fist raising experience filled with vocal harmonies and much dedication to the sense of feeling and denim and leather. ‘Armageddon’ begins with a great drum fill and you are instantly hooked. If fact, after one listen to this whole album I felt like I had known this music for 20 years, the art of writing memorable songs with cool riffs and not forgetting the old nod to mystery, fantasy and knights etc., all of the pieces fit. Whilst the guitar breaks are present and waiting for instruction, they sometimes lose momentum, but the ideas are there, that is the main thing. The track ‘Warrior’ takes me back to the days of listening to Grim Reaper (UK), there are those strong vocal highs and lows, and this is where we have pure unison with the guitar fills and solos, in fact a whole better mix than the previous track. Twin guitar harmonies are expected on such a release of this standard and the boys don’t let the side down with this, you can just imagine the guitarists standing on stage, one foot on the monitors, with a massive ‘Powerslave’ backdrop. In fact, the lighter moment of this ‘Warrior’ has a ghostly feel to the of Maiden’s ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ epic, before thundering back to life. Of course the album title track is their 13 plus minute epic, filled with galloping rhythms and slow meaningful passages. If you are tempted to find out more, their first release is available for free download at their website and this album will shortly be released on that hallowed format…vinyl, the best use of 12 inches of moulded plastic!
Not forgetting this release is going to be hard, it does not happen much in my cynical take on musical preference, but my word, Steel Tormentor have “blown the bloody doors off” to coin a Michael Caine line from the Italian Job movie in my mind. You get thoroughbred metal ideals and lyrical content, twin guitar work of the highest order and an obvious passion for the music. ‘Return of a King’ is a fist raising metal experience full of majesty and skilful song arrangements. It may take you back more than 25 years, but what a place to be. Raise the Horns for Metal!
