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November 2023

• High Spirits: Safe On The Other Side
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October 2023

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September 2023

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August 2023

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Blackslash: Lightning Strikes Again

(Traditional) Heavy Metal

4.5/5.0

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Iron Shield Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 25.04.2018

Living like it's 1983 is Germany's Blackslash, returning with their third long player Lightning Strikes Again. The boys from the Black Forest deliver a modern interpretation of classic and traditional heavy metal, mixed with a generous amount of speed metal.

Blackslash

Blackslash, across five releases, have become masters of their chosen genre. Their "keep it true" heavy metal has all the proper elements in every song: twin guitar harmony in the riffage, a bunch of high flying solos, clean melodic vocals, and a sturdy rhythm section for both speed metal gallop and rock groove. And there's not a synth to be found anywhere.

Most of the songs move within Lightning Strikes Again move at the gallop of speed metal, yet tuned with a rock groove. With the guitar and vocal harmony, Blackslash easily folds in catchy melodies and memorable refrains as well. Brisk metal rockers come with Lightning Strikes Again, the catchy Illuminate The Night, Skyline Rider, and Right To The Top. The rock groove rises higher in Night City Street Lights, which has a smooth breakdown at the midpoint before Christian Haas rips into a solo. Similar in tone is Save My Heart, also with a swift melodic hard rock groove and a catchy chorus. Steel Held High has a fine guitar lead over drums at the start, and then moves into more quick heavy metal. With the more moderately paced Unknown Heroes, Blackslash delivers a heavy metal anthem, where voice over acoustic guitar finds a significant place in the arrangement.

All said, Blackslash's Lightning Strikes Again is another solid album of classic "keep it true" heavy metal for the new century. They're quickly becoming one of the modern masters of this venerable genre. Easily recommended.

Blackslash's Lightning Strikes Again is another solid album of classic "keep it true" heavy metal for the new century. They're quickly becoming one of the modern masters of this venerable genre. Easily recommended.

Alphabetical Index

We haven't had a new studio album from Brazil's Angra since prior to the COVID pandemic, 2018's Omni. But the quintet has been busy. In 2021, they released Omni Live in Japan where they have a huge fan base ... [ Read More ]