Much like WTF, the last album from cult NWOBHM act Black Rose, their latest, Killing Machine, snuck up on me out of nowhere. There was no advertising via competitors, I mean, other metal outlets. No friendly mention from a fellow headbanger along the lines of, “Hey dude, Black Rose is back!” Hell, I couldn’t even rely upon the neckbeards at the Metal Archives, as Killing Machine doesn’t even have its own entry (yet)! No, I heard about Killing Machine from none other than Black Rose’s frontman, Steve Bardsley: A fine chap who reached out to me via email with a stream of the band’s latest effort. To which I responded, “Sure!”
Now the difference between Bardsley and you, clogging my inbox with a desperate plea to review your bedroom black metal project for the third time this week, is that Black Rose already holds a place in my record collection. Besides that, I’m also confident that, whatever missteps aside (and there are a few on this release), a new Black Rose album will still be a more pleasurable and rewarding listening experience than some dork shrieking over the same paper-thin tremolo riff for anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes (leave that wimpery at the door!).
Like WTF before it, Killing Machine is another example of “traditional metal band adopts modern production”, AKA Andy Sneap core. Its strongest moments, such as the title track, “Blood Red Sky”, and “Flesh & Bone” fuse ’80s traditional metal maneuvers with a 21st century heft. Although I’ve already had a few years to become acquainted with WTF, it’s still a trip to hear this band incorporating elements of speed and thrash into their sound, and doing a fine job at such. For the purists, upbeat melodic hard rockers like “If It’s Too Loud (You’re Too Old)” and “Too Loud for Radio” channel the hook-laden charm of the band’s original run.
Now while Killing Machine does boast less fat than its predecessor (10 songs instead of 12), there are still a handful of cuts on here that don’t cut it for me. Songs such as “Crossed the Line”, “Voices”, and “Go Down Fighting” lie somewhere between WWE theme music and A7X throwaways, blatantly modern rock in disposition and boasting little to appeal to old schoolers. Worse yet, I’m not sure if the stream I was sent was an unfinished mix, but it pained me to hear many of the album’s finest moments muddled by mechanical sounding drums and a murky production, the latter reminiscent of Maiden’s last affair.
With a stronger focus on ’80s centric songwriting and a crystal clear production that highlights their collective charm, Killing Machine certainly has the potential to be more than it is. That said, even for what it is, it could be a hell of a lot worse. This is a solid classic metal album at its core. It may not have you leaping out of your seat in excitement, but it won’t have you snoozing either, boasting a diverse collection of songs that separate it from the usual Priest/Maiden worship pack. Make no mistake: When Killing Machine kills, it kills!
6 out of 10
Label: Hellion Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Judas Priest, Tygers of Pan Tang, Def Leppard