Label: NuclearBlast 2014
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom
Originally known as Teaser, Bullet was formed in 1978. Discovered by Dieter Dierks in 1981, signed with Polydor and recorded their debut album in 82 (produced by Dierks). Wait a minute... these guys are from Sweden and it's clearly not the same act that gave us "Execution" and "No Mercy". Still they have the Teutonic display and attitude and it's very much the sound of (original) Bullet, Accept, Priest, and the hint of AC/DC. What's more. They're signed to Nuclear Blast in Germany and singer Hell Hofer (really? now they're just taking the piss) comes out sounding like the bastard son of Udo Dirkschneider and Brian Johnson.
The artwork (see cover pic) is straight from the back catalogue of any Heavy Metal act of the 80's and the same can be said about the riffs. Maybe I'm missing the point completely here, but I can't imagine why this platter would appeal to the heavy metal kids? Sure. They are very traditional and a couple of moments such as "Hammer Down" and "Coming In Loud" are some of the funniest pure Heavy Metal tracks as of lately. However, it's cliche-villé and deja-vú-town at its highest population and we've heard it all before (way too many times).
The drumming powers the album along at what seems like a steady beat and the guitars are louder than hell. Yet there's something missing? Well. If anything. They brought out the trad. heavy metal fan in me and I believe it's time for another spin of Restless and Wild... ahhh... fast as a shark!!!
As someone who's heard the previous albums by this band I think there's something "wrong" with the singer's voice this time - he might have overstrained it over the last years - the Udo Dirkschneider/Accept nod you give is spot on - but originally they sounded much more like AC/DC, for which they were cherrypicked to open when they toured Sweden with the Black Ice album.
ReplyDeleteI really liked their newest effort. Two albums before this were not that good as their two first albums. What I especially like about this Storm Of Blades are the melodies in music. They have clearly put some emphasis on guitar melodies and also on solos.
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