Air Raid - Fatal Encounter

7.5/10

For long-time fans, it might be something that will take a while to adjust because the album does evoke many emotions and it is more mellow sounding.

Air Raid are a heavy metal outfit from Gothenburg, Sweden. They’ve been riding the resurgent wave of traditional heavy metal since the 2010s and have made quite a name for themselves in the underground heavy metal circuit. I was introduced to the band through their third album, ‘Across the Line’ and then subsequently caught them live opening at the Up the Hammers festival in Athens, Greece. Seeing them release an album after close to six years caught my attention and I was curious what this gap could’ve impacted their sound or direction.

‘Fatal Encounter’ is Air Raid’s fourth album in a career spanning close to fourteen years so far. As far as first impressions go, I wasn’t extremely satisfied with what I heard and it took me a couple of more listens to understand what the band was trying to achieve. After I sank my teeth into this, it became apparent that there’s a slight change in the band’s sound. Air Raid are still a stellar heavy metal band but with ‘Fatal Encounter’, I feel a drift into AOR territory. The album also feels a bit more emotional, for lack of a better word. Earlier albums were more “straightforward” heavy metal, whereas ‘Fatal Encounter‘ gives each song, each section and each instrument more room to breathe (and shine) and it isn’t all guns blazing riffy heavy metal left, right and centre.

There are a few tracks that stand out for me. Thunderblood opens more traditionally with a powerful chorus (Thunderblood, I’m a rider of the storm) but the guitar solo is very emotive. In Solitude doesn’t refer to the band but it talks about love and breakups. Naturally the music follows the overriding emotion here from the chorus to the riffs. Edge of a Dream showcases Fredrik’s immense vocal talent. It is slightly upbeat with a very obviously catchy and likeable verse-chorus. Let the Kingdom Burn is a slower tempo song which would suit an arena with its heavy palm muted pounding riffs and groove section. The song quickly transforms into something you’d hear glam/hair bands play. ‘Fatal Encounter’ also contains two covers, See the Light by Trazy and Pegasus Fantasy by Make-Up. While I’m not too familiar with the former, the latter is a cover of a track used for a famous anime opening intro (Saint Seiya). Air Raid really makes this track their own, especially with the singing in Japanese. It sounded great!

I can see critics being quick to judge Air Raid’s slightly new direction. It’s almost very Enforcer-esque, who also changed their sound similarly in the later 2010s. Comparisons are inevitable unfortunately. Is it the most original sounding album? Definitely not. Does it have its heart in the right place and is it genuine sounding? Definitely yes. In isolation, I think ‘Fatal Encounter‘ delivers to the ardent heavy metal and heavy rock fan. For long-time fans, it might be something that will take a while to adjust because the album does evoke many emotions and it is more mellow sounding. It shows the maturity of the band and the willingness to experiment with new ideas, so props to the band for that. Overall, I think Air Raid has done a solid job with ‘Fatal Encounter’.

Originally posted on Tempelores.com

Tower - Shock to the System

9/10

Tower’s Shock to the System packs a quite a punch with 70s/80s nostalgia, catchy hard rocking heavy metal tunes and one of the best vocal performances I’ve heard in recent years.

If you’re into heavy metal, then anything released by Cruz de la Sur should pique your interest. Shock to the System is Tower’s latest sophomore album and I was quite excited to listen to this. Tower are a five-piece NWOBHM-inspired heavy rock band hailing from New York. Sarabeth fronts the band with vocals, James Danzo and Zak are the guitarists, James Jones does the drums and Jeff Filmer (though not in the band at present) did bass on the record. Bass duties are currently handled by newcomer Jack Florio. It is a bit unfortunate on my part that my introduction to Tower was through their sophomore album. I did give their 2016 self-titled debut album a couple of spins before sinking my teeth into Shock to the System.

A few spins into the album and I’m absolutely engulfed with old school nostalgia. Tower will light up your ears with their lovely mix of highly energetic, heavy metal inspired 70s hard rock while also delivering some exceptionally soulful moments. Sarabeth’s vocals take full credit for adding a hefty dose of soul to this record. She sounds absolutely powerful with those soaring vocals. Accompanying the stellar vocals, but not to be outshined, is the guitar work. The riffs are sublime and catchy, almost effortless and epitomizes what great heavy rock music should sound like. The entire ensemble with the rhythm section fit perfectly together. This is also largely down to how the album is produced and mastered by Sasha Stroud. It’s a great feat to accomplish if you can bring out the energy of the band through the mix and make it sound as if you’re experiencing Tower live in a basement gig.

Shock to the System doesn’t have a weak song on it. There I said it! It’s quite rare for an album to achieve that in this day and age, especially when you are talking about a traditional sounding band. The band balances paying homage to their influences, working within those boundaries while also sounding original. There’s something that each song offers. Most of the tracks on the album are high on energy and tempo but there are also some tasteful ebbs in the music too. Prince of Darkness is a favorite of mine which starts off slow, full of emotions, and picks up pace two-thirds into the song and ends in a crescendo-like manner. There are also some songs whose choruses could well become anthems like Lay Down the Law which gallops forward after a slow beginning. In Dreams showcases their best guitar work in terms of riffs, cleans and solos. You can clearly feel the mood of the song shift as time elapses with every minute. The album closer, Powder Keg, feels like it could be the soundtrack for a high speed car-chase through deserted towns.

My only regret is not having discovered Tower earlier but it’s not too late for you! Tower’s Shock to the System packs a quite a punch with 70s/80s nostalgia, catchy hard rocking heavy metal tunes and one of the best vocal performances I’ve heard in recent years. Turn up the volume and headbang away!

Originally posted on Tempelores.com