Steelwing - Zone Of Alienation

Second album for the Swedish metalers and they continue to deliver heavy/power metal music right from the heart of the 80s. Influenced by bands like: Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Angel Witch, Saxon, King Diamond etc… they managed to present a more mature and well written album than their debut… without leaving the “classic” elements and the clichés of the 80s metal out. How could they actually?

 

This music is so specific at times that no one can really escape the specific heavy/power metal formula of that era. That’s not totally bad, if you can “borrow” ideas and musical themes without simply copying them… and filter them through your own musical personality. Thankfully, with “Zone Of Alienation”, Steelwing presents a more decent album than before… with nice heavy metal tunes, very good production and a beautiful artwork (created by Dimitar Nikolov). Everything here smells 80s by miles away… even the production (the album was helmed by producer Rikard Lofgren who had worked with Enforcer, Deathstars, Mamakin and Vomitory among other) has been done in this approach… the guitars, the solos, the vocals, the rhythm section… the song structure (for example the song “They Came From The Skies” is too much like “Transylvania”)… there are all exactly from the mid-80s when heavy metal music was on its prime.

 

The best songs of the album, according to my opinion, are: “2097 AD” (a very beautiful futuristic intro), “Solar Wind Riders”, “Full Spead Ahead”, “Breathless”, “Tokkotai (Winds Of Fury)”, “Zone Of Alienation”… If you are an 80s metal maniac and wanna hear something that will bring back memories of that era or you like some of the big 80s metal bands I pointed out before, then give this band a chance and listen to this album. The CD will also be available as a limited-edition digipack with the bonus track “Hit ‘Em Hard” which is a 2010 demo.