The last time I had any involvement or listened to any of Sacred Steel’s albums was way back in 1998 with their ‘Wargods of Metal’ release. Move forward a few years and these German’s are still doing what they were doing then, but thankfully and most pleasing they have also learnt a trick or two from some of their fellow countrymen. A song such as ‘The Darkness of Angels’ reminds me of very early Blind Guardian, debut album era before going more epic. I say this due to the tracks deliverance of speed, the ever so clear hunger and genuine passion you hear from this is exciting and invigorating. Some harsher and more extreme Kreator-styled thrash elements rear themselves on a track like ‘No God / No Religion’ and this is where I am delighted that the band has developed. Yes they are still a cool metal band, but flirtations with speed and thrash is much more valuable and marketable than some of the older power metal tags that they used to be associated with and listening to ‘Under the Banner of Blasphemy’ firmly puts their foot up your arse good and proper. It is not battle metal, you do not want to get me started on that disappointing sub-genre, is it a perfect marriage of older EU power metal and EU speed/thrash. However, I am a little bit surprised we have lost the total in your face warrior moniker on this recent album cover, even the onset of war from their last effort is not referenced…things change I guess and in ‘The Bloodshed Summoning’s’ case, this is certainly for the better in the music and if the cover is the only sacrifice, then so be it!
I have not waned, I have not faltered and I have enjoyed each and every track of this release. You do have to get used to the vocal style of Gerrit Mutz (who also sings for the doom band Dawn of Winter), I am more familiar with it, but you may find a raspy approach in some places that little bit too much, however it is certainly more palatable and fitting than Sacred Steel’s earlier material, much less wahhh, essentially perfect for this style I would now say.
Sacred Steel from my own experience have developed and matured but still harbour the vibrancy I first found favour in them. This latest release should rekindle anyone’s lost relationship with this band, it has done for me and for the uninitiated, you really need to give this a go, it has power without the cringe factor and it actually has a musical expression that oozes a little class and is far, so very far from being remotely demure. In summary…raise your fist and bang your head, embrace this bloodshed like a metal warrior.
(8/10 Paul Maddison)
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