“Born from Blues, raised on rock and forged in steel” are the nine words which open the press bio of The Dagger, a four piece Stockholm based hard rock band who generously take from both the blues and classic heavy metal from the 70’s and 80’s to create an authentic retro sound for their self titled debut album.
Opening up with “Ahead of you all”, the classic rock and metal influence is easy to spot. The ringing Hammond Organ and harmony guitar intro builds the song up into a fast paced number which sounds like a cross between Uriah Heep and Judas Priest. The chugging guitars and bass with the pounding drums provide the perfect back-drop for the powerful vocals. The chorus is ripe with vocal harmonies and backing gang vocals and the solo weaves in and out of harmony lines, filled with flair and expression. It’s a great opening which will have you raising your fist in the air and moving your head at the same time. “Call of 9” has a huge Helloween vibe to it as it continues with the fast pace and the classic feel of an 80’s metal anthem. The relatively simple approach to the song works in its favour, allowing the drums to fill in the gaps with plenty of rolls and fills whilst the lead guitar is basic but effective, keeping with the feel of the song. “Ballad of an Old Man” has a more 70’s blues rock feel to it, sounding like a slower paced Deep Purple number at times as the bass and organ shine through on the track. The vocals are sang with feeling, adding an air of sorrow at times to the track whilst the guitar switches from clean in the verse to distorted for the chorus to add some power where it matters. The solo is a slow paced blues styled number which adds more flavour to the track whilst the vocals get more intense for the ending, rounding it off quite well.
“Skygazer” keeps with the 70’s feel. Its bouncing riff and driving feel make it more lively than the previous track. Its catchy bass-line will get you humming along as the vocals are filled with more character and the guitar and organ trade off midway through the song has Deep Purple stamped all over it. “Electric Dawn” brings back the NWOBHM feel with its fast pace and dramatic vocals which add some Halford-esque shrieks where needed. The guitar is short and stabby where needed in the riffs and the lead guitar is full of attitude, teasing during the solo section and again in the harmonies during the outro of the song. Up next is “1978”, which brings back the rock feel to it. The steady groove the drums play drives the song whilst the band and vocals work over it. The bass twists through the song whilst the guitars are simple and effective. The lead work is simple in its approach whilst the chorus is full of sing along moments with the tried and tested “woooaaahs”. “Dog of Warning” comes across as a Dio styled track, complete with the slow paced powerful chugs and full of passion vocals. The simple heavy metal approach works, allowing the fills to do the work with the well timed touches of flair the track needs. The drum roll halfway through signals the start of the fast section which gives way to a classic metal lead harmony section which in turn flows into a classic solo full of fast licks and expressive bends and runs.
“Nocturnal Triumph” starts off with a classic rock styled riff and cowbell before it kicks into a driving groove. The carefree attitude of the song, with its powerful bass and catchy guitar hooks ring through into an NWOBHM styled chorus. The powerful vocals give the song a raw edge and the lively solo rings out with that classic 80’s feel to it. “Inside the Monolithic Dome” starts off with a bluesy intro which slides into a classic rock feeling lead section which suddenly rips into a very Iron Maiden sounding section. The low sung vocals with the galloping rhythm and feel give the song a real edge and the bass kicks in , adding flair to the track where needed. The lead guitar adds some weight to the chorus styled sections and the simple riffs under the solo add some heaviness in parts whilst the drums keep the whole thing locked down. It’s a fantastic slice of classic early era Maiden styled sound and it really stands out. Closing the album is “Dark Cloud” which has the fast edge and feel of the previous track. The galloping bass-line and the flair filled lead guitar dance across the track whilst the vocals retain the power which has filled them through the album. The song hits full speed and the furious solo increases the urgent feel of the track but sadly, as the shortest track on the album, it’s over too soon.
“The Dagger” is a fantastic album. It’s got the perfect mix of hard rock, classic metal and originality which in some retro-sounding albums is hard to come by. The band have some big influences, but they allow themselves to shine through more on this. A solid album.
(8/10 Fraggle)
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