2023 has been a banner year for traditional metal. Bands like Century, Blood Star, Flight, and Smoulder have been coming in hot with invigorating albums that do more than simply rehash the tired Priest and Maiden tropes we’ve heard two zillion times before. The same can be said for today’s album in review, Kerrigan’s Bloodmoon. This newly formed German duo consists of vocalist/guitarist Jonas Weber and guitarist/bassist Bruno Schotten, both members of funeral doom band Lone Wanderer. Together with session drummer Jonathan Döring, they’ve managed to craft an album that stands on its own as a traditional metal monolith.
Despite hailing from Germany, Kerrigan holds much more in common with early ’80s Swedish metal in terms of musical approach. Think along the lines of Mindless Sinner, Proud, and various other underground titans of the era. It’s the same observation I made when reviewing Century’s debut, The Conquest of Time, which sonically isn’t far off from Bloodmoon in the slightest. Both albums specialize in old school metal that effortlessly tows the line between heaviness and melody, while also standing out for their raw edge and unique flourishes.
The album’s opening track, “Eternal Fire”, showcases this distinct sound with fiery confidence. If I hadn’t known better, I would’ve thought it was a lost Scandinavian rager circa ’83, which quite frankly is Bloodmoon‘s appeal. There are a variety of classic metal sounds scattered throughout this release, and not one of them sound like they could’ve been written or recorded past the mid ’80s: a great thing for a self-admitted purist as myself. It also speaks volumes of Kerrigan’s dedication to the sound of their forefathers. It’s one thing to cosplay as ’80s metallists. It’s another thing to truly capture the era’s spirit.
Cuts like “Hold the Banner” and “Child of Sin” would sound right at home on Mindless Sinner’s Turn On the Power (1986), exemplifying melodic metal at its most cult. “Forces of Night” and “Pull the Trigger” are more than just high speed slices of headbanger heaven, but rather empowering anthems guaranteed to touch the heart of any tried and true maniac. Suites such as “Against the Westwind” and the closing “Mesmerizer” prove the band is just as capable of writing epic metal hymns as they are pop metal earworms. And then there’s the title cut, which also happens to be my favorite. Lush vocal harmonies, hypnotic atmosphere, and heroic guitar work: I know a page out of the BÖC playbook when I hear it, and I’m not complaining.
Now this is the part of the review where I would examine what Kerrigan could’ve done better, what worked, what didn’t, etc. Well folks, upon thorough listening, there’s literally nothing that could’ve been done better. Not one song on here sounds less than the other. From a songwriting and musicianship perspective, in the realm of traditional metal, this is as top tier as you could get. As far as debut albums go, this has to be the strongest I’ve heard since Traveler’s self titled back in 2019 (although it feels much longer). What more can I say? Kerrigan shines on Bloodmoon, paying homage to those who came before while subsequently paving the path for those of a traditional disposition to follow. You’d be a fool not to bask in its light.
10 out of 10
Label: High Roller Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Century, Satan, Mindless Sinner