This is "Metal For Muthas" and it may even be a case of buy or die!
If this name rings a few bells with older Metalheads, it's because it's a deliberate homage to the classic Savage Grace album 'Master Of Disguise', something which confuses the buggery out of Google. This is because of a rather convoluted band history that involves one original member of SG who vanished into thin air and what was essentially a NWOBHM tribute band he left behind that decided to carry on his vision because they quite liked the idea. Several line-up changes later and here they are with a second album that shamelessly wants to take you back thirty years to a time where men wore denim waistcoats and studded fingerless gloves with pride.
So do they succeed? Hell yes, as 'The Savage And The Grace' is a thundering piece of retro Metal that will absolutely delight fans of the genre. It's fast, furious and full of melody and power in equal measure. So many retro bands chuck out plodding slabs of uninspiring "Metal", but MOD want you to sit up, take notice and bang your fecking head! The star players of this band/release are Kalli Coldsmith, who plays some monumental guitar throughout, and soaring vocalist Alexx Stahl, who has a voice that totally suits the musical style and would have been a star in the mid-eighties (and may well be so today).
Even ballad 'The Scavenger's Daughter' punctuates the deep and meaningful (probably) acoustic bits with the odd power chord or two. They also do that thing where a song will gallop along, then you get half a second of silence and you just know a belter of a guitar solo is about to kick in. Yeah, it's Metal 101 for dummies but it still sounds great when done properly.
'The Savage And The Grace' is a throwback to the good old days, sure, but it's so well made, with such power and passion, that it works incredibly well in 2015. Personally, I prefer it to SG's own work, as these boys have poured in a lot of knowledge and experience getting it just right. This is "Metal For Muthas" and it may even be a case of buy or die!
Alan Holloway
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