Dangerdog Music Reviews :: © 1999 - 2025 Craig S Hartranft :: All Rights Reserved
No part of this this website, including design and music reviews,
may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
the prior written permission of the publisher.
CELEBRATING 18 YEARS!
- New Music Reviews
- |
- Archives
- |
- News
- |
- Submissions
- |
- About
- |
- |
New Music Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, AOR, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
Recent Reviews
May 2025
- The Flower Kings: Love
- Maestrick : Espresso Della Vita: Lunare
March 2025
- W.E.T.: Apex
- Alliance: Before Our Eyes
- Ginevra: Beyond Tomorrow
- Phil X & The Drills:
Pow! Right In The Kisser - IQ: Dominion
- Heart Line: Falling Heaven
- Gotthard: Stereo Crush
- Defender: Dying To Live
- Streetlight: Night Vision
February 2025
- Robin McAuley: Soulbound
- Perfect Plan: Heart Of A Lion
- Craig Brooks: Desolation Freeway
- Mantric Momentum: Alienized
- Pattern-Seeking Animals: Friend Of All Creatures
- Crazy Lixx: Thrill Of The Bite
- Ginger Evil: The Way It Burns
- Dream Theater: Parasomnia
- Tyran: Tyran's Oath
- Saber: Lost In Flames
January 2025
- Wildness: Avenger
- The Ferrymen: Iron Will
- Labyrinth: In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye
- Bonfire: Higher Ground
- The Big Deal: Electrified
- Landfall: Wide Open Sky
December 2024
- After Lapse: Pathways
- Illusion Force: Halfana
- Powell-Payne: Voilá
November 2024
- Sunstorm: Restless Fight
- Storace: Crossfire
- Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
- Lionville: Supernatural
- Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
- Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
- Lonerider: Down In The Dust
- Seventh Crystal: Entity
- Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
- Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
- Impellitteri: War Machine
- Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter
Zuul: To The Frontlines
Zuul: To The Frontlines
Melodic Heavy Metal (Traditional)
4.5/5.0
Facebook
High Roller Records
by Craig Hartranft, 12.07.2012
It's with a great sense of pride that I can introduce to Dangerdog readers another American band, Zuul from Illinois, that plays traditional heavy metal. This foundational metal is basically underground here, being smothered by the likes of harsh modern metalcore and nu-metal. Zuul has a larger following in Europe; it's no wonder they're signed to and delivering their second album, To The Frontlines, on Germany's High Roller Records.
Zuul: there is no Dana, only Zuul.
To The Frontlines offers nine songs of classic melodic heavy and power metal sharing a kinship with NWOBHM and its early Eighties American interpretation. Waste of Time likely the best representation of this hybrid; it has colossal depth, sounding like a blend of Iron Maiden and Manilla Road.
Generally, most songs have a quick pace, some with moments of moderation like Bounty Land, good melodies, and lots of grand guitar solos. As for the vocals, there's no death or growling bullshit to be found. However, Brett Batteau's vocals do seem more than a bit muffled, the only real downside to the album. Conversely, on a positive note, there's great re-recording of Skullsplitter, one of their best songs. Otherwise, with To The Frontlines, Zuul delivers tried and true heavy metal. Easily recommended.
Note: American readers can bypass Euro conversion fees and expensive shipping costs by buying from the band; simply message them on Facebook.
Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.
TweetIn Short
With To The Frontlines, Zuul delivers tried and true American melodic heavy metal with a NWOBHM feel.
Find A Review
Alphabetical Index
New & Notable
Here's a fun fact about Swiss legends, Gotthard: their last 16 releases, excepting their debut album, went to number one in their home country, making them one of Switzerland's most successful acts and ... [ Read More ]