IRONSWORD
"Return of the Warrior" (The
Miskatonic Foundation; 2004)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
"Return of the Warrior" is a testosterone-laden collection of epic metal tunes that fall somewhere in between Manowar's overwrought (but always highly entertaining) chest-beating to Iron Maiden's galloping rhythms.
Slightly above average in the musical ability and talent department (especially the blistering solos here), while somewhat below average in the production area (some tracks are a little muddy), "Return of the Warrior" is a powerful wall of sound throughout. Some may find the leather-lunged and gruffly melodic vocals not to their liking. Vocalist Tann sounds more like Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister than Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson and some may think the voice doesn't fit the music. Personally, I think this adds a level of uniqueness to the band's overall sound. Without the usual, clear-throated uber voice, another tiresome cliché of the genre is eliminated.
Like most albums of this type, reviewing this CD is simple. If you like this kind of metal, you'll probably like the CD. If not ... well, guess what? You won't like this either.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2005 by R. Scott Bolton. All
rights reserved.
Revised: 01 Apr 2024 12:16:14 -0500
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