Switchblade
Heavy Weapons
Killer Metal Records
2013
I remember that no more than a year or a year and a half ago, sometime like that, I was introduced to this band, not by any other way but because a then friend, was involved in some way in their in the cover of their second digital single, the quite catchy “Metalista”. Having always been one that hated Nu metal, liked classic metal and had no problem against JU, metal, especially the variations and bands that subscribed to the more “classical” genres, I thought, that this band would have been quite spectacular, should they ever present something more “complete”... fast forward I suppose about two years and we now have the “complete” works of these Israeli metallians, ready to check out... in the form of “Heavy Weapons”.
Housed behind the “mechanical bestial helmet” cover is an album so full of 80s clichés, that it could easily have been released back then. It’s only the slightly more lively productions that belies the more recent date of recording, but the whole “dry” and treble production, is very akin to the early works of Maiden, maybe sounding a little weaker, on the overall “mix mass” but at least it’s crystal clear. The riffs would make Wolf Hoffmann (Accept) proud... I mean, you can hardly get any more 80s than these dudes have managed and their singer Lior “Steinmetal” Stein, manages to sound ridiculously close to Dickinson in his prime, but maybe not with the same nobility and elegance as he sometimes he does sound somewhat nasal in his effort to go high. He’s however, mighty impressive... as a singer as is the rest of the band.
The title track “Heavy Weapons” is an awesome opener that charges in and demolishes everything in its path neutralizing any resistance with its superior firepower!
“Euphoria” (which originally was the first single by the band) is a more dramatic mid tempo number with nice harmonies and a cool double tracked solo that impresses.
“Metalista” is a little funny but catchy as hell, with a riff to die for, but if I remember the single was a little “nastier sounding”... I am not sure if this is a re-recording or if it’s just the mastering that has “changed” the way it sounds!? Can’t remember where I’d stored the old version anyway, to bother digging it up. You can rely on me telling you it’s cool!
“Lost Lovers Unite” is a tormented quasi ballad, which however manages to maintain a certain degree of heaviness as well as the longing and lyrically charges vocal passages. (here the Dickinson impersonation goes of the chart and there’s even a wee part where the bass is sort of leading away that is so maiden-inspired that Steve Harris might be asking for copyrights (haha) lol. Nah, just joking … it’s actually pretty cool, but not the most original idea. Actually it’s the melodies after it that close the song that are pretty AWESOME!
“The Lost Kingdom” is actually a two minute instrumental that seems like an unfinished – vocal song, there seems to be enough ideas to get it going – but it never gets completed and it even sort of ends in a not entirely abrupt way, but…. still, seems more like a fragment than an intended interlude... to be honest... not sure what to make of it. Not a bad, base melody…
“Infernal Paradise” is a heavily riff laden and very rhythmical song, about, jungle guerrilla, that’s not to dissimilar to latter day Maiden... in the 80s... it could have easily been in “No Prayer...”
“Curse of the Father, Sins of the Son” this number too, follows close suit, with a strong tight, riff and a rhythm base that makes it tip towards a proggier side. Without being bad, it’s more complex nature sort of makes it a little less alluring.
“Into the Unknown” explores a more epic side, with longer sweeping guitar riffs, in a style that would not have felt out of place either on an album like “Piece of Mind” or “Seventh Son...”
Finally “Endless War” the “B’ Side” of “Euphoria”... (even if a digital single doesn’t have a b’side...) is a fast paced, mindless onslaught, with a nice solo that has some merits, but could have done with some more “effort” or a slight rewrite. The “backing” vocals are underwhelming for instance, but such a little qualm, in such a nice, brilliant album is very minor.
The thing that’s most enjoyable about “Heavy Weapons” is that it’s most unapologetically, cliché, old school heavy metal. It doesn’t try to reinvent anything, it doesn’t try to modernize anything. It feels totally cool in its own skin of 80s metal and just delivers a handful of it, in the best possible way it can. With no additives and no BS. And that’s commendable. Along with Portuguese upstarts Attick Demons they could easily get my – more Maiden than Maiden award, without even trying and their songwriting is not even that bad, so “Heavy Weapons” is by all means an album worth checking out and why not adding to your collection, if you like this sort of “shit”… I know I do, I know I will. Armed and Ready then!
Housed behind the “mechanical bestial helmet” cover is an album so full of 80s clichés, that it could easily have been released back then. It’s only the slightly more lively productions that belies the more recent date of recording, but the whole “dry” and treble production, is very akin to the early works of Maiden, maybe sounding a little weaker, on the overall “mix mass” but at least it’s crystal clear. The riffs would make Wolf Hoffmann (Accept) proud... I mean, you can hardly get any more 80s than these dudes have managed and their singer Lior “Steinmetal” Stein, manages to sound ridiculously close to Dickinson in his prime, but maybe not with the same nobility and elegance as he sometimes he does sound somewhat nasal in his effort to go high. He’s however, mighty impressive... as a singer as is the rest of the band.
The title track “Heavy Weapons” is an awesome opener that charges in and demolishes everything in its path neutralizing any resistance with its superior firepower!
“Euphoria” (which originally was the first single by the band) is a more dramatic mid tempo number with nice harmonies and a cool double tracked solo that impresses.
“Metalista” is a little funny but catchy as hell, with a riff to die for, but if I remember the single was a little “nastier sounding”... I am not sure if this is a re-recording or if it’s just the mastering that has “changed” the way it sounds!? Can’t remember where I’d stored the old version anyway, to bother digging it up. You can rely on me telling you it’s cool!
“Lost Lovers Unite” is a tormented quasi ballad, which however manages to maintain a certain degree of heaviness as well as the longing and lyrically charges vocal passages. (here the Dickinson impersonation goes of the chart and there’s even a wee part where the bass is sort of leading away that is so maiden-inspired that Steve Harris might be asking for copyrights (haha) lol. Nah, just joking … it’s actually pretty cool, but not the most original idea. Actually it’s the melodies after it that close the song that are pretty AWESOME!
“The Lost Kingdom” is actually a two minute instrumental that seems like an unfinished – vocal song, there seems to be enough ideas to get it going – but it never gets completed and it even sort of ends in a not entirely abrupt way, but…. still, seems more like a fragment than an intended interlude... to be honest... not sure what to make of it. Not a bad, base melody…
“Infernal Paradise” is a heavily riff laden and very rhythmical song, about, jungle guerrilla, that’s not to dissimilar to latter day Maiden... in the 80s... it could have easily been in “No Prayer...”
“Curse of the Father, Sins of the Son” this number too, follows close suit, with a strong tight, riff and a rhythm base that makes it tip towards a proggier side. Without being bad, it’s more complex nature sort of makes it a little less alluring.
“Into the Unknown” explores a more epic side, with longer sweeping guitar riffs, in a style that would not have felt out of place either on an album like “Piece of Mind” or “Seventh Son...”
Finally “Endless War” the “B’ Side” of “Euphoria”... (even if a digital single doesn’t have a b’side...) is a fast paced, mindless onslaught, with a nice solo that has some merits, but could have done with some more “effort” or a slight rewrite. The “backing” vocals are underwhelming for instance, but such a little qualm, in such a nice, brilliant album is very minor.
The thing that’s most enjoyable about “Heavy Weapons” is that it’s most unapologetically, cliché, old school heavy metal. It doesn’t try to reinvent anything, it doesn’t try to modernize anything. It feels totally cool in its own skin of 80s metal and just delivers a handful of it, in the best possible way it can. With no additives and no BS. And that’s commendable. Along with Portuguese upstarts Attick Demons they could easily get my – more Maiden than Maiden award, without even trying and their songwriting is not even that bad, so “Heavy Weapons” is by all means an album worth checking out and why not adding to your collection, if you like this sort of “shit”… I know I do, I know I will. Armed and Ready then!