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On disc: Sacred Steel



Reborn In Steel - Volker Raabe - 9 stars
Slaughter Prophecy - Claudia Ehrhardt - 7 stars
Slaughter Prophecy - Volker Raabe - 9 stars
Carnage Victory - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars


www.sacredsteel.de







Carnage Victory

Carnage Victory
(Massacre Records - 2009)


It's been awhile since Sacred Steel released their last album Hammer Of Destruction. Now they are back with Carnage Victory! The album is produced by the band and recorded by Christian Schmidt, the mixing was done by Achim Köhler.
The quintet kicks off with the fast, relentless Charge Into Overkill which offers screams and high-pitched vocals by Gerrit Mutz. A surprise is the Mercyful Fate cover Don't Break The Oath which turned out quite good - even if I prefer the original. Razor-sharp riffs force them ahead at the title track, but they slow down a bit and the song gets a hymn-like touch. Drummer Mathias Straub leads you into Crosses Stained With Blood and the staccato riffing adds some aggression, then they speed up. A fast true metal anthem. Slowly they start into Ceremonical Magician Of The Left Hand Path, after the semi-acoustic guitar opening the song becomes an ultra-heavy song with a doomy edge.... After the fast The Skeleton Key they offer an instrumental called Shadows Of Reprisal. Somehow this one disturbs the flow of the album... And I'm not sure, if everybody can appreciate it... With Denial Of Judas they are back to the Sacred Steel sound! Even if they might surprise some with the larger variety of sounds. A stomping rocker is Metal Underground, a quite typical true metal hymn, but it sounds too familiar... The fast By Vengeance And Hatred We Ride is the closer and here Gerrit Munz even adds some growls! Well done!
Sacred Steel fans should try to get the limited box set which looks like an ammunition box and incl. a 7" single with 2 previously unreleased songs, a dogtag and a T-shirt! Value for money! And a real collectors item!
The album includes a bonus DVD with the 45 minute long show from Queens Of Metal and a 'making of' Carnage Victory. Sacred Steel show that they still alive and kicking. For fans a must-buy, but as they offer a larger variety of sounds now, fans of powerful true metal should give it a try!


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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Slaughter Prophecy

Slaughter Prophecy
(Massacre Records - 2001)


The German true metal heads are back with Slaughter Prophecy. The new album is the first release for Massacre Records and also shows them more mature, perhaps the touring made them grow. The Slaughter Prophecy is their best album so far, again recorded at House Of Music studios and produced by Achim Köhler. Sacred Steel have a strong, loyal following, but on the other hand many dislike singer Gerrit Mutz' vocals and so dislike them.... A band which you love or hate and this won't be changed by Slaughter Prophecy. The opening track (not the intro) reminds me of Mercyful Fate / King Diamond, but lack the King's quality. The songs are German true metal, but partly faster than on previous releases. But Sacred Steel is a band you have to check out and see if you love or hate them.
Check out: Raise The Metal Fist


7 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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Slaughter Prophecy

Slaughter Prophecy
(Massacre Records - 2001)


What's that? Do I have the wrong disc in my player? Or do Sacred Steel now death metal? No, they are just add some new elements to their sound. You might say that it can't be Sacred Steel then, but.... Don't panic! If the first 3 albums of the band be your metal bible then you can cool down, too. The typical anthems and neck breakers á la Sacred Steel are The Rites Of Sacrifice (great refrain), Raise The Metal Fist, Pagan Heart, Faces Of The Antichrist and Sacred Bloody Steel. You see, no need to worry! You might think that the label change from Metal Blade to Massacre Records made the band change, but I think that Gerrit's growls at the album opener The Immortal Curse is a homage to his favorite band Bal-Sagoth. Amazing are the high-pitched screams of Mr. Mutz during this song which make the track special. I don't think that the new album of Sacred Steel will make any fan of the band turn their back on them. Let's face it, it's 100% Sacred Steel, even if it lacks some doom elements of their past as Tragedy Divine and even if they added a Bal-Sagoth touch to some songs. That's metal!!!


9 stars

Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)
 

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Reborn In Steel

Reborn In Steel (advance tape)
(Metal Blade - 1997)


One more newcomer who release a debut par excellence, but that isn't quite right, coz some of the band members played with Tragedy Divine in the past. I just have an advance tape, but I can recommend the album already! Their true metal is straight ahead stuff for every headbanger. This one should be in the collection of every true metal fan! The band from the Stuttgart area present a symbiosis of Agent Steel / Sanctuary sound combined with some early Judas Priest. The German epic warriors are the first German band which got signed by Metal Blade! And if singer Gerrit will show a larger variety next time, then they will soon be a trademark for true metal from Germany.
Check out: Battle Angel, Reborn In Steel and In The Mouth Of Madness.


9 stars

Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)
 

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           ©2008-2010 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com


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