By DJ Monk
Wayward may be a new band – they’re a side project of two of the members of German death metallers Deathrite – but they are very much of the old school philosophy, as the title of this, their just-released debut album should very strongly indicate. Yes, these four hallions from Leipzig are seeking to epitomise the punk-fuelled rock ‘n’ roll spirit that Lemmy and his crüe brought to an unsuspecting Überverse back in 1979, with a collection of nine no-nonsense heavy metal homages that neither take no prisoners nor ask for any in return.
In light of that, ‘Wayward’ does exactly what it’s creators set out to do – cranks the volume level up to ear-shatteringly loud, puts it foot to the pedal and powers its way through 37 minutes of high-energy, no-bullshit, no-brainer NWoBHM-fuelled thrashy, trashy punk ‘n’ roll, with little thought for dignity or finesse, just leaving you in a bloodied, sweaty, slobbering mess at the end of it, with the snot running from your nose, the blood oozing from your ears and the words “gimme more” spilling uncontrollably from your gob.
Wayward may be fully expressing their love for everything that was good and glorious about the spit-fuelled, didn’t-give-a-fuck attitude of the late Seventies/early Eighties, when the sounds of punk and the renascent metal genre (despite their collective/individual protestations to the contrary) were inexorably intertwined, but they do so with genuine enthusiasm and panache, at the same time bringing in modern techniques to make it sound fresh and relevant to the more discerning modern ear, while still retaining that old school spunk those of us who lived it all the first time around will fondly recall in our addled dreams of yore.
So, if you love your heavy rock ‘n’ roll with a matt finish, no gloss, then answer the ‘Call Of The Mistress’ because ‘She Is The Devil’ who will slip you that ‘Alchemy Of Poison’ before taking you on a ‘Hellride’ down that ‘Dead End Road’ where you’ll be ‘Forever Damned’ to dance to the ‘Bad Vibe Boogie’…
- ‘Wayward’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE.
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