WTF isn’t just the title of the new Black Rose album; it’s also what I exclaimed when I found out this cult NWOBHM outfit was even still active, let alone recording new music. The roots of this band go all the way back to 1976, when they formed under the moniker Ice. In 1980, they changed their name to Black Rose (a nod to Thin Lizzy?) and proceeded to release a string of singles, EPs, and albums that highlighted the more melodic side of the scene. Sure 1984’s Boys Will Be Boys wasn’t a game changer on the scale of say Venom’s Black Metal (1982) or Iron Maiden’s The Number of the Beast (1982), but it’s a killer album to blast on a late Saturday night after downing a six pack.
Fast forward almost 40 years later and Black Rose is still bringing the metal, albeit with a heavier and slightly modern approach. Fear not purists! Drop D chug riffs and questionable Avenged Sevenfold flirtations on “Crazy Mental Bad”, “Innocence”, and “Broken” aside, WTF tends to draw heavily from the Andy Sneap produced school of “old meets new”. The approach is best showcased on Judas Priest’s Firepower (2018) and Accept’s 2010s output, although Black Rose does a respectable job at it as well.
Hook laden headbangers such as “Devils Candy”, “Under My Skin”, and “Tattoos & Lipstick” proudly showcase this approach, combining classic metal riffs and melodies with the subtle side of modern production. About half of this album falls into this category. The other half channels elements of flashy speed metal (“Armageddon”) and aggressive thrash (“Detonator”, “Twist the Knife”). I shouldn’t be too surprised by these creative excursions. After all, every metal band past and present has been affected by the likes of Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, etc. in some form or another. It’s just wild to hear a band like Black Rose, who prior to this album I’d rank alongside Heavy Pettin’ and early Def Leppard, toying around with machine gun riffing.
Ironically, for an album that remains mostly orthodox, my two favorite cuts are the outliers: “Pain” and “Never Take Me Alive”. Structurally speaking, “Pain” is the closest song on here to a classic Black Rose cut, with its Cheap Trick inspired power pop moves gone traditional metal. The riffs are upbeat, melodies are slick, and the guitar solo absolutely rips. Meanwhile, “Never Take Me Alive” comes off as a no frills metal song, but boasts a heavy does of blues and boogie that harkens back to the NWOBHM glory days. More metal bands gotta start paying their dues to Status Quo!
With the exception of a handful of sleepers and its ridiculously long running time (nearly an hour), WTF is a rather enjoyable listen from a band that you either A. Didn’t know was still around or B. Never heard of in the first place. I commend them for sticking to their guns and making metal that’s true to their heart. Clearly, these aren’t guys that are in it for the money. At this point, they’re doing it for the love of the music, and we love them for that.
6 out of 10
Label: Pure Steel Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Judas Priest, Accept, Tygers of Pan Tang