By: Richard Maw
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 01/06/2018
Label: Shadow
Kingdom Records
The
sound over the six tracks comes on like a revved up version of early Saxon and Dio crossed with “Fistful of Metal” era Anthrax and “Bonded
By Blood” era Exodus. The production
is 80's to the max, the performances strong and the band sound hungry and
dangerous
“Beast In The Mist” CS//CD//DD//LP track
listing:
1). Prelude
2). Beast in the Mist
3). Faster Than Hell
4). Rising of the Claw
5). Aggression Strikes
6). Evil That You See
The Review:
Croatian
Speed Metal! Speedclaw are probably Croatia's finest
exponent of the genre... and maybe one of the best in the world. The sound over
the six tracks comes on like a revved up version of early Saxon and
Dio crossed with “Fistful
of Metal” era Anthrax and “Bonded By Blood” era Exodus. The production is 80's to the max, the performances
strong and the band sound hungry and dangerous. The instrumental “Prelude” opens proceedings before the
title track rips out of the speakers with a vengeance. “Faster Than Hell” lives up to the title's promise. Widdly lead work
abounds as riffs come thick and fast.
The
latter three tracks deliver more of the same- pleasingly- and the band don't
let up. Ranger have got some serious competition
here as this is pure metal of the highest quality; nostalgic, referencing what
went before and the band makes sure to put their own stamp on things. If
anything, “Rising of the Claw” and “Aggression Strikes” go closer towards
out and out extreme thrash metal, but that is no bad thing. Better to press the
pedal to the metal than ease off down the back stretch!
The
impressive EP/mini album closes with “Evil
That You See”, which sees the NWOBHM influences come back to the fore. The
name of the band tells you almost all you need to know here. Surely a candidate
for a Fenriz endorsement (if he hasn't done so already) and high time the band
gets offered a slot at Live Evil in London. Raging stuff.
“Beast In The
Mist”
is available here
Band
info: facebook
