Ruthless
They Rise
Pure Steel Records
2015
Ruthless, are the definition of a cult band... with only an EP and a full length in the 80s before disbanding, which were later bootlegged, before some “official” releases and a one off performance, at 2009’s Keep It True, they were always held in high regard by the US power metal aficionados. Can’t fault them, as their straightforward, to the point style and riffs are not too hard to like. They never really “made it” big back in the day, so after a while they just disbanded... but following the 2009 performance, some of the key members of the band, started exchanging ideas about a potential new album and, lo and behold some six years after that a new album is being dropped.
I have to say, that I found, the band’s KIT performance quite to my liking and they seem to have been able to replicate their style on the album rather well... musically, everything sounds almost as you knew it, although, singer Sammy DeJohn’s voice has gotten a little “darker” after all this time. He’s still able to do some higher pitch stuff, convincingly and the “gang” response type of vocals, that “answer” repetitively after some choruses are still present. Along with 9 new songs, the 5 tracks of their debut EP, “Metal Without Mercy” are included here, in superior quality. Stuff like the muscular “Defender”, the fast and furious “Hang man” or the pretty thrashing “Frustration” stand out. The 5 tracks from the EP are all pretty solid, and the better audio quality and fuller sound make them sound even better… “Bury the Axe”, “Metal Without Mercy”, “The Fever”… they’re so good to have here.
If you liked the band back in the 80s you’ll still like them now... if you found them a little pedestrian, I suppose, your mind won’t change now. I always found them fairly good but not top of the line, although they were not trailing too far behind from some of the genre leaders, so worthy, I suppose, of someone, giving them a fair chance.
I have to say, that I found, the band’s KIT performance quite to my liking and they seem to have been able to replicate their style on the album rather well... musically, everything sounds almost as you knew it, although, singer Sammy DeJohn’s voice has gotten a little “darker” after all this time. He’s still able to do some higher pitch stuff, convincingly and the “gang” response type of vocals, that “answer” repetitively after some choruses are still present. Along with 9 new songs, the 5 tracks of their debut EP, “Metal Without Mercy” are included here, in superior quality. Stuff like the muscular “Defender”, the fast and furious “Hang man” or the pretty thrashing “Frustration” stand out. The 5 tracks from the EP are all pretty solid, and the better audio quality and fuller sound make them sound even better… “Bury the Axe”, “Metal Without Mercy”, “The Fever”… they’re so good to have here.
If you liked the band back in the 80s you’ll still like them now... if you found them a little pedestrian, I suppose, your mind won’t change now. I always found them fairly good but not top of the line, although they were not trailing too far behind from some of the genre leaders, so worthy, I suppose, of someone, giving them a fair chance.