By Monk
I was sitting in my local pub the other afternoon, enjoying a few hours of being able to chill and play stupid games on my tablet while supping a couple of hard ciders, when I overheard two “kids” (well, they were in their late ‘teens) discussing bands such as Saxon, Battleaxe and Tytan in reverential tones… feck, did it make the cockles of my 56-year old heart feel warm to listen to a couple of post-millennials discussing bands to whom I was listening when I was even younger than they are now \m/
Hailing from northern Germany, Black Hawk actually trace their roots back to that era that shaped my own listening habits, having first formed away back in 1981, when the nascent European metal scene was emerging from its infancy and starting to find its own feet, before transmogrifying into the Eurothrash monster that we all know and love to this very day.
The title track defiantly sets the tone for this sturdy release: a concrete-solid traditional metal ‘banger with no airs or graces, just an intention to get those ancient neck muscles stretching to their limits. And in that it succeeds, as it is an opening track that makes you want to hear more – and plenty of more like this is to come…
Second track ‘Angry Machines’ has a very classic Saxon-meets-Accept feel to its fast and furious approach (although I swear I can hear a reference to ‘Paw Patrol’ in the opening verse – hopefully that’s just my aging brain playing tricks on me), while the likes of ‘War Zone’ and ‘Bullets’ are firing on all cylinders pure Eighties metal romper stompers. ‘Survivor’, with its rambunctious rolling bass rhythm and punchy chorus, is the sort of tune guaranteed to get fists raised, whether it be in a sweaty back street club or a muddy festival field, as this album delivers ten consistently balls to the wall classic Teutonic metal ‘bangers in a neatly aligned row.
Deccy and Niall: if you’re reading this, I recommend you click the buy link for this one. You’ll cream your vintage jeans over it, guaranteed.
- ‘Soulkeeper‘ is released on 24 March.
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