REVIEW OF THE ALBUM GUILTY AS CHARGED BY IRON CURTAIN

Iron Curtain is essentially a speed metal band formed back in 2007 and released 2 albums so far, Road to Hell and Jaguar spirit. Now three years after the second full length, these Spanish quartet are back with another dose of genuine 80s speed heavy metal. Guilty as charged will be out the next 14th October via Pure Steel Records. In the meantime you can check out their single Wild and Rebel from their Youtube Channel:

As mentioned their style is a perfect constructed speed metal, with influences from Motorhead and Iron Maiden to Accept backed with catchy gig ready choruses. Good example of that is the first track Into the Fire, submerging the listener to the true sound of Iron Curtain: fast paced and headbanging shot of adrenaline. Notice here a perfect Lemmy style on the vocals at some points. 

These accelerated paradise becomes contagious to the rest of the album, Lion's Breath and Take it back are a good proof of the best of the record and you will feel like going into the pit and scream those choruses out loud. Instrumental are in remarkable harmony and guitar virtue are at 50/50 leadership with vocals and rhythm.

Relentless start as a change of pace with a mid tempo song, and not a doubt this shot sounds like Accept from start to finish; voice, drum beats, guitars and even the structure of the song is made to sound like the German heroes. A run of the mill track but always enjoyable to listen.

The album won't let you down at this point, as the best track is about to start: Iron Price combines very Iron Maiden'ish riffs with the best of Mike's vocal styles. Fast and lighter track, with really straightforward and catchy sections being followed by Outlaw and Wild&Rebel, continuing the raw and fast strategy with back vocals that will catch your attention.

The tittle track Guilty as Charged follows in velocity but increases in vocal melody, even bringing the band style to the early eighties, when the NWOBHM exploded like Big Bang; definitely one of the best songs of the album and letting the last song continue the same path of its preview shot: Turn the Hell On makes the best of the riff melodies combining awesomely good with the back vocals, and bringing up one of the most catchy bridges and choruses of the band, being well structured and leaving the listener hungry for more... In my case I just restarted the album for my second listen.

I can say Iron Curtain just nailed it with this record, Guilty as Charged is very solid and well produced, being raw and sharp in style combined with a crystal clear production. If you like true speed metal obviously you will love this band and my suggestion for you: get the album because you will really enjoy it. It's clear the likes of these Spanish band, and they use their influences in a perfect combination to generate their own sound, and that sound is really well created in this headbanging electric gem,

8.5 / 10

Iron Curtain lineup

Mike Leprosy Vocals, Guitars (rhythm)
Joserra Bass
Alberto Fuentes Drums
Miguel Angel Lopez Guitars (lead)

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REVIEW OF THE ALBUM REDEEMER OF SOULS BY JUDAS PRIEST

Judas Priest seventeenth studio album is out now, Redeemer of souls is the first album in the history of Judas Priest without KK Downing, with Mr Faulkner on the axes and also the return of a classic Judas Priest record after the concept album Nostradamus which was in my opinion one of the best composed works by the metal gods, but it needed more of classic Judas Priest action.

As promised, Judas Priest's Redeemer of Souls is a full-classic Priest work, with reminiscences of previews Priest eras, mostly from Painkiller and Angel of Retribution and also taking a bit from Killing Machine or Ram it down; the album starts with the rain and thunder as a background when Dragonaut main riff explodes in a mid-fast tempo headbanging bomb, Nightcrawler memories with the first verses unveils an epic memorable bridge and chorus, to follow with the tittle track  Redeemer of Souls, one of the most listened tracks being their first song to be unveiled before the release of the album, mid paced act, also with this epic element perfectly melted into most of the songs in the album, excellent riffs on the chorus as the Halls of Valhalla continue in crescendo and the main riff reveals one of this speed heavy metal tracks on the vein of Painkiller or Freewheel Burning, adding the dose of Epic power and an outstanding strong main riff, Remarkable the chorus on the high pitched screams and astonishing verses! Halford scream also in the second half of the track will make this piece one of the all-time classic songs looking face to face to shots like Metal Meltdown or Ram it down.

Sword of Damocles continues this masterpiece as a slow-mid pulse incredibly epic where the theatrical act by Halford is something exceptional,and also remark the composition on the second half of the song to the end, truly powerful.

March of the Damned headbanging rhythm is next, this time the composition has similarities with Ozzy mixed with Priest strength creation, breathtaking song also with reminiscences of the track Metal Gods, that continues with Down in Flames, as another mid paced heavy metal classic, epic verses and hard rocking chorus!

Hell and Back begins with accoustic guitars evolving to a mid tempo track with influences from the Killing Machine era, awesome catchy chorus and excellent evolution to the end of the piece where they introduce guitar elements used in the Ram it Down album, just outstanding and very effective! continuing with Cold Blooded defined like a mid tempo ballad with drippings of Love Bites with a long chorus and outstanding instrumental!

Metalizer explodes with forceful drumbeats, mid and fast changing pulses continuously from verses to chorus amazingly well and effective, riveting from start to finish linking the action to Crossfire, 70s blues influenced hard rocker track with guitar riffs similar as those used in the Ram it down album, Halford vocals are amazing here, mastering again the hard rock and heavy metal screams!

Secrets of the Dead unveils an atmospheric mid slow paced track, perfect harmony on the guitars with the vocals as the background voices appear in the chorus with a superb architecture; but don't relax now because you gotta get ready for another surprise with Battle Cry, as the epic riffs transforms and twist to a epic speed metal piece, straight away you will start banging your head, mid high pitched vocals here are amazing, astonishing job by Halford in this track! Total consistency on every instrument, being another masterpiece inside this Redeemer of Souls, and linking it to the last piece, Beginning of the End, the ballad of this album, acoustic guitars dominate like tracks like Before the Dawn or Last Rose of the Summer; just overwhelming, so intense!

The album also contains five extra tracks that could have perfectly fitted in this long length, like the hard rocker, catchy chorused British steel-like songs Snakebite and Bring it on, or the heavy  mid fast tempo Tears of Blood, stunning Priest classic as well as Creatures, melodic heavy metal all the way. I have to remark the last song Never Forget, acoustic ballad that will get really deep to your heart, outstanding melodies by the metal gods!

Redeemer of Souls is probably one of the best Priest works, being the best since their reunion, Faulkner fit perfectly in the band, what a great job man! and also Awesome job Tipton, Hill, Travis and Halford; everyone here demonstrate once more they are the masters of metal, giving a lesson of metal and being again influence for many new bands for sure.

The album encapsulates many Judas Priest moments from the preview albums like Killing Machine, Ram it down or Painkiller combined at perfection, elevating the range adding this epic style well used since Nostradamus album, every step Judas Priest has made in their history lead to this album, resulting in another Masterpiece of genuine Heavy Metal

THE PRIEST IS BACK

9,5 / 10


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Post by Daniel Ortiz from Metalheads Union and Metalheads Union UK FB

REVIEW THE ALBUM "BEYOND BETRAYAL" BY ARISING FEAR

Arising fear are a thrash metal band from Augsburg, formed in 2008 with a first EP released in 2009.

Their music is well connected between the thrash metal and the metalcore with melodic and groove points as we can see in this first album, released in march 2014.

Beyond Betrayal starts with Mantic shape,a machine gun thrash metal weapon in action, combined with melodic clean vocals in the chorus, good instrumentals and great headbanging roll as they get you into Beyond the walls of anger, mid tempo metalcore influenced touch mixed with heavy growling vocals technical drums; as they stop to link it with Deadly embrace, modern melodic, very slow to mid tempo track, being one of the weakest tracks in this album, to continue with Day to overcome which includes what the song before needed, as a mid tempo song, continuity on the drums rhythm and groove metalcore sections that fans of this style will really appreciate. Next piece is Losing sanity, they start with Megadeth like intro riff, great brutal growling parts without losing fuel for Final Redemption, clean sophisticated drum action with changes in the rhythm following the thrash metal ways. This Burden is next and kills you like a bullet in the head from the beginning, heavy thrash metal, great guitars and their essential melodic vocals; remarkable vocal interpretation and excellent ending followed by Come alive again, unmissable ballad of the album, with modern metal techniques, emotional and expressive from start to finish.

Now it's turn of Thrashing brain surgery, epic start and awesome strong furious verses, neck breaking shot in this awesome track where even the melodic parts are amazingly well combined; raw and titanic thrash blast.

This album finish with Meltdown rust, could be the exact style combination of this band, reuniting elements of heavy, thrash, metalcore and groove formula, the ending of the song is very powerful as they finish in a shade to the silence.

Arising fear took the risk of doing a full length combining different factions of metal, from the heavy influence to the metalcore, and I can admit, not being fan of this kind of genre, that Arising fear created an excellent album, with a superb crystal clear production.
Need to be more headbanging, sometimes there is a lack of thrash rhythm, but I'm sure they will improve that for the next album.

Fans of this modern thrash metal will love it, absolutely !

7 / 10


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REVIEW EP THE CALL OF EXTINCTION BY RUNNING DEATH

Running death are a Thrash metal band from Germany formed in 2004 with one first EP released in 2010 "Raging nightmare" and the 2012 EP "Call of Extinction". They've been playing many gigs nationally and internationally, and now they are getting ready for a new album at the end of 2014. Their style is a perfect mix between thrash metal old school, heavy metal and  sophisticated guitar riffs influenced by early Metallica and Megadeth, and also reminiscences of Slayer or Fight sometimes.

Call of extinction starts with Unleashed, a dark atmospheric introduction that leads to a very well composed  thrash metal mid tempo, where the guitars take the lead on the rhythms as they change it constantly,Venom/Slayer mix  style on the vocals and awesome bass sound also as the instrumental takes you to bang your head to the

 next track Killing for gods, a forceful slow heavy metal song, strong, raw and heavy is all it is about, even going epic/true metal influenced in some verses and galloping headbanging riffs connected at perfection with heavy and thrash metal mix drum beats till the end, taking you straight away to the tittle track Call of Extinction, thrash metal in its essence in the style of Megadeth, and some reminiscences of War of Words by Fight, good job on the vocals and the chorus.

Now is the turn of Celebrate your Aggression, one of the best on this EP, dark doom metal intro that links with one of the most strongest heavy rhythms, combined with excellent chorus, headbanging parts where you will scream Celebrate your aggression, just to react to one of the best changes of rhythm of the Ep, an atomic bomb just explodes in a blink of an eye, that takes you to the mosh pit and keep you breathless to the ending, where the guitars even go further doing some neoclassical metal style notes, to finish with Hunting for Heads, thrash metal that invites you to break your necks banging your heads, remarkable vocals and very well done on the chorus and the production, powerful and tough track, definitely the best of the Ep and the sign of the band's style.

Overall Running Death leaves a very good taste of Thrash metal combination with heavy metal and sophisticated instrumental, with excellent job in general by the guitarists; compositions of the tracks are excellent, solid, elaborated and well produced. Get ready for the end of the year because Running death are coming stronger than ever!

7/10

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REVIEW DECADES OF PAIN ALBUM BY TOXIC WALTZ

Toxic Waltz is a classic thrash metal band from Germany formed in 2009, by lead guitarist Jimi and

ex-drummer Tim. The band was complete after bass player Rahman, Angelo as vocalist and Alex as rhythm guitar joined it to become an old school thrash metal band, that is clearly fed by the influence of 

bands like Exodus, Slayer or Dark Angel; developing a Bay Area thrash metal style mixed with sophisticated riffs and also a remarcable production.

Their first album is called Decades of Pain, released in february 2014, and starts with a dark-epic 

accoustic guitar that leads to the tittle track Decades of Pain, excellent in-crescendo estructure 

leading to the classical thrash metal rhythmn, great technical drums and memorable chorus, good harmony on the guitars also as they continue with no break to the next track World of Hate, following the same style,  old school thrash metal that invites you to the mosh pit, but don't leave! they continue with Toxic Hell where they attack with fast thrash headbanging metal, more aggressive vocals and great instrumentals by the guitars Jimi and Alex.

Suicide Squad starts like the early Metallica, great job on the drums and growling vocals by Angelo

makes the difference as it continues with Green, much stronger track more on the line of Exodus this time

with excellent strong chorus to scream loud on every gig; 

Next song is Morbid Symphony, slower in rythmn and powerfull like hell, Slayer-like style as they leave us breathless till the end, just to follow one of the masterpiece of the album, Priest of Lie, definitely the best of the EP, it starts with the bass and drums followed by Angelo deep scream to blow out your brain with the first verses, thrash old school in its essence, screaming Priest of Lie! and making you bang your head till the whiplash, excellent! 

They finish the album with Obsession to Kill, keeping the same strenght of Priest of Lie, but slowing down a bit to develop the hate in every word, awesome interpretation by Angelo.

Overall Decades of Pain by Toxic Waltz is a punch of old school Bay Area Thrash Metal in your face, awesome start for this German band, with a great production also,they offer one of the best pure 

thrash metal albums of the year, leading the thrash metal flag for the future, keeping the true thrash metal alive, TOXIC WALTZ

7,5 / 10

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Judas Priest is back! new song Redeemer of souls, and album cover

After 6 years of wait since Nostradamus, Judas Priest are back with Redeemer of souls, a classic Judas Priest album as they said in past interviews.

They showed yesterday the art cover and unveiled today the tittle track Redeemer of souls,  heavy strong classic Judas Priest track, being like reminiscences of Hell Patrol as a mid tempo song mixed with an epic style like the Nostradamus album. Do you remember the last song of the album Nostradamus? I thought, as many of you, for sure, that that was the end, the very last song of Judas Priest.... well! think again they might say! This song is the answer! 



Worldwide Release:

Due out on:

   14th July in the UK

   15th July in the US

Friday 11th July:

Australia

Austria

Benelux

Finland

Germany

Ireland

New Zealand

Norway

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

Monday 14th July:

Asia (excluding Japan)

Czech Republic

Denmark

France

Greece

Hungary

Poland

Portugal

South Africa

Tuesday 15th July:

Canada

Italy

Latin America

Russia

Spain

Wednesday 16th July:

Japan

LISTEN TO REDEEMER OF SOULS HERE

REVIEW THUNDERWAR - THE BIRTH OF THUNDER (2013)

One of the releases of last year was this great first EP
of the polish death metal band Thunderwar, formed in 2013
by four metal maniacs that wanted not only to pay tribute
to legends like Bathory, Unleashed, Dissection or Amon Amarth,
but to prove that Poland has still something to say to the Metal
world, and so they did! Being the first EP with four songs that
prove what traditional Death metal is all about!


The EP starts with VIMANA (Chariots in heaven) with this familiar melodic death metal guitars, to suddenly
attack you with killer drums followed by the headbanging action, and
the aggressive voice death metalheads and thrash metal fans will like.

Brutal oldschool death metal, and a very solid chorus make this first song
a good start of the EP that will continue with a sudden death metal attack with
Shadows of Lindisfarne, this song takes you straight away to the mix of death metal
action with a powerful start and a really good interpretation of brutal raw death metal voice,
suddenly they change the rythm with some thrash metal headbanging bridge
 before the chorus, following by the virtuosism of the solo where they
make some symphonic parts to finish with the heaviest in-crescendo ending that makes
this song what it will be the style of the band we hope to see in the future.


The last song of the EP is the instrumental track The Birth of Thunder, with accoustic
intro adding orchestra instruments making a really well composed epic track and making
this EP a very solid first job of this polish Epic Death metal band that really, my friends,
they are here to stay, taking the torch of the old school true death metal bands,
Get prepared of what this band will come in the future!
They are Thunderwar

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CONTACT   thunderwarbandofficial@gmail.com

8 / 10

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