This Swiss band have three previous full-length releases behind them. Categorized as traditional heavy metal, we all know how vast that could turn out to be. Their two previous releases were more in the field of European power metal. Upon the opening tune and album title, track and long into, the band have moved onto the classic US and Swedish scenes.
Galloping melodic metal begins to ignite your senses. The vocal style varies between the nasal approach of Manilla Road, Pagan Altar and classic Saxon. ‘Rule or Obey’ is a slow starting epic. The guitar work reminds me of Uli Jon Roth with the warmth of latter Scorpions tunes…until we hit go. The pace quickens the twin guitar work is sensational, like the PR material suggests; it is a classic metal hymn. By the umpteenth listen to the album, Sin Starlett appear to have taken all the history of metal music and laid it down in a single source. In some places, there is not a lot of sustain from both the vocals and guitars, its older styled with the production, but I do feel this gives the warmth that I mentioned earlier. The tracks are very long and in some cases, I do not find it necessary to repeat the first verse again as it kills the build-up constructed during the song.
‘Straight and Ready’ is a straight up heavy tune, pure class, very much to me like ‘Point of Entry’ Priest. This was a familiar sound to me on their earlier releases, namely ‘Electric Expander’ from their 2016 release ‘Digital Overload’. For this new album, there are definitely less muddy EU power metal tunes and more of the NWoBHM scene. There is no denying, I like the production, I feel it’s improved, it’s focussed the listener highlighted the positive facets of these heavy metal sinners. There is a statement in the PR material; Joey DeMaio (yep him) once said, “man, these guys are more metal than I am”. ‘Streetlight Domino’ has a great drum sound utilizing the toms a lot more whilst ‘Struck Down’ is majestically refined and melodically powerful. “Waves of Hamartia’ is fast and yes, the guitar solos are awesome, oozing their twin harmonies, more modern methodology like the sweep patterns. ‘Blessed by the Shot’ has all the hallmarks of Saxon and has a slight reference to fellow compatriots Krokus. ‘Iron Stamina’ is a touch sci-fi, its evidence of album maturity as from the start we had music akin to Epic Metal as its termed, they style has been through a whole evolution during the playback.
Sin Starlett have dropped the traditional euro metal approach (certainly compared the ‘Throat Attack’ album) and gone further back in time for inspiration, although they have retained some aspects of earlier incarnations. The result is a catchy and very classy release.
(8.5/10 Paul Maddison)
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