Dangerdog Music Reviews :: © 1999 - 2024 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.
- 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
November 2023
- High Spirits: Safe On The Other Side
- Signum Regis: Undivided
- DGM: Life
- Soledriver: Return Me To Light
- Care Of Night: Reconnected
- Secret Sphere: Blackened Heartbeat
- Seventh Crystal: Infinity EP
- Angra: Cycles Of Pain
- Hugo's Voyage: Inception
- DMJ: Sophomore
- Temple Balls: Avalanche
- Ignescent: Fight In Me
October 2023
- Pattern-Seeking Animals: Spooky Action At A Distance
- Overland: S.I.X
- Vitalines: Wheels Within Wheels
- Lynch Mob: Babylon
- District 97: Stay For The Ending
- Lalu: The Fish Who Wanted To Be King
- Entierro: The Gates Of Hell
- Nitrate: Feel The Heat
- Kings Crown: Closer To The Truth
- Theocracy: Mosaic
- Edge Of Forever: Ritual
- Ronnie Atkins: Trinity
September 2023
- Rockett Love: Galactic Circus
- Kerrigan: Bloodmoon
- Taz: Shipwrecked, Vol 2
- Taz: Wake Up & Sweat, Vol 1
- Ronnie Romero: Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters
- The Flower Kings: Look At You Now
- Vega: Battlelines
- Blackbird Angels: Solsorte
- Primal Fear: Code Red
- Eclipse: Megalomanium
- Seventh Wonder: Mercy Falls (Reissue 2008/2023)
- Seventh Wonder: The Great Escape (Reissue 2010/2023)
August 2023
- Hurricane: Reconnected
- U.D.O.: Touchdown
- Streetlight: Ignition
- Sarayasign: The Lion's Road
- Neal Morse: The Dreamer - Joseph - Part One
- Rian: Wings
- Icon Of Sin: Legends
- Lancer: Tempest
- King Kobra: We Are Warriors
- Dark Sky: Signs Of The Time
- Hell In The Club: F.U.B.A.R.
- Kent Hilli: Nothing Left To Lose
Ultimatum: Lex Metalis
Ultimatum: Lex Metalis
Heavy/Thrash Metal
Rating: 3.75/5.0
Retroactive Records
www.ultimatum.net
www.myspace.com/ultimatummetal
Review: Craig Hartranft, 10.14.2009
For their fifth release, Lex Metalis (latin: metal is law [sic]) Albuquerque metal stalwarts Ultimatum raise their collective horns to their peers from the past. Singer Scott Water (webmaster for nolifetilmetal.com) and company make no bones about loving all things 80's metal. Their tribute includes songs from Metal Church, Judas Priest, Motorhead, Saxon, Metallica, well you get the idea. Generally, Ultimatum pulls every song off with the energy and passion of true believers that makes Lex Metalis more than just a mere homage to classic heavy and thrash metal. Songs like Denim & Leather, Creeping Death, Wrathchild, Powersurge reveal more than their influence upon Ultimatum, but also the soul of a great musical form.
However, the downside to this platter is twofold. First, the production and mix waffles between muddy and hollow sounding like an 80's demo tape. I don't mind reliving the past, but I also want to enjoy it. Second, call his voice third rate Bon Scott attempting some death metal, but I don't think Scott Waters can sing. I found him even more grating than 'Lips' Kudlow of Anvil. Even with these reservations, Ultimatum's Lex Metalis is an awesome tribute to the greats that made heavy metal what it is today. Recommended!.
In Short
Ultimatum's tribute to great metal bands of the 80's, Lex Metalis, is better than a kitschy homage: four true believers breathe life and passion into every song.
Find A Review
Alphabetical Index
Album of the Week
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 ]