Steel Tormentor - Return of a King

Release Date: July 31, 2010
Label: Nephin/Union Black Digital

TRACK LISTING

1.  Ghost of Avalon
2.  Evil Coming
3.  Armageddon
4.  Warrior
5.  Soul Stealer
6.  Into the Black
7.  Return of a King
8.  Warrior (single edit)

Total playing time:  44:00

August 5, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

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*Comments:

Keeping in line with the current rash of traditional heavy metal bands emerging from Europe, Ireland’s Steel Tormentor bombards the scene with a second album titled Return of the King. It’s nice to see another band from Ireland keeping right in line with Primordial as purveyors of the scene.

The very first thing that hits me about Return of the King (aside from that killer intro) is the amazing vocal quality of James Kelly, who sounds like a perfect clean-tone version of Quorthon during his solo album era, Hammerheart and Blood On Ice; what a pleasant change from the million imitators trying to copy those raspy anguished screams from the first three Bathory albums. Kelly’s voice is one I certainly enjoy listening to because it’s not a typical delivery used by every other band under the sun and it’s controlled nicely throughout. The guy sings without pretention and doesn’t seem interested in showcasing his voice above its ability; rather he fills the vocalist perfectly with his easy delivery and strong, yet not overpowering style.

Musically Steel Tormentor pays homage to the NWOBHM scene of old, meshing a Diamond Head or Angel Witch style with some Killers-era Iron Maiden that doesn’t get old by the fourth song. These guys play some simple, straight-ahead heavy metal that is as honest as it can be some thirty years after this style first gained notoriety. I particularly like the guitar soloing in the title track, which doesn’t rely on flash as much as it does style and structure. By the time “Warrior” fades and “Soul Stealer” kicks in I’m ready to pull out all of my old Kraken 7” records; the chugging verse riff is reminiscent of a period in metal history that spawned literally every genre and bastard son style we enjoy today. I’m glad bands like this are still holding high that withered flag from the past; we need more bands like this! Standouts here are “Warrior”, “Into the Black” and “Soul Stealer”, but the entire CD is a winner in my book. 

While the scene is overly drenched in an oceanic graveyard of black metal, death metal and commercial indifference, this traditional style of old is making a grand entrance back, literally kicking in the doors once closed when Maiden started making the MTV playlists in the mid-Eighties. As I said, it’s a very welcome change and quite missed all of these years. I’d definitely recommend Steel Tormentor to anyone that loves the old-school metal sound that, while dated to some, still has plenty of gas left in its proverbial tank. Return of the King is just that: a return to something not yet passé and still teeming with musical value.