A few days ago, I reviewed the latest album from English old school revivalists, Eliminator. There are moments in that review where I came off as rather harsh, especially considering only a few songs creatively dropped the ball. Other than these tracks, it was a largely enjoyable outing which showed far more artistic depth than others within the “NWOTHM” realm. There are some bands in this genre/scene/movement whose banality is enough to make you steer clear of it for the foreseeable future (or at least until next month), like today’s band in question, Maule.
I had high hopes for Maule. They hail from Canada, which has long been a breeding ground of killer hard and heavy music. Their name is gnarly as all hell, and the crude cover art for their self titled debut full length had me under the impression this would be a blackened speed affair. To top it all off, they’re signed to Gates of Hell Records, a subsidiary of Cruz del Sur Music. You know, the label responsible for putting out some of the best metal albums of the past few years: Chevalier’s Destiny Calls (2019), Traveler’s self titled (2019), Sölicitör’s Spectral Devastation (2020). Needless to say, my expectations were high.
Maule opens with a trio of tracks that are a throwback to the savage, go for the throat days of Iron Maiden circa Killers and The Number of the Beast. The formula works on the opening “Evil Eye”, with its overdriven twin guitars and gritty vocals. By the time we get to “Ritual” and “Summoner”, you can’t help but ask yourself, “How many times can they rewrite “Invaders”?” After they shake the Harris bug out of their systems, they segue to a raw blend of power and speed metal for another round of tracks, which serve as the highlight of the album. “Maule” is a hard hitting, yet melodic, Diamond Head inspired rager, while “Red Sonja” and “Sword Woman” will appeal to those into the faster side of the NWOBHM.
Had they stayed in this vein for the rest of the album, I’d be giving them much higher marks. Sadly, this was not to be. The band shifts gears yet again, this time assuming the identity of watered down Manowar worshippers. The militant, battle march vibe of “Father Time” and “March of the Dead” has been done by so many bands, so many times before. It’s become as much a cliché as Maiden’s gallop riffs and Priest’s anthemic choruses. I guess you can say I’m sick of it? Thankfully, Maule saves the best for last in the hard rocking headbanger, “We Ride”: A Thin Lizzy-esque romp that straddles the line between 70s hard rock and the NWOBHM.
If you took the four strongest tracks on this album and put it on one release, it’d make a rather enjoyable EP, as opposed to a painfully average full length. At no point is Maule truly “bad”. It just falls victim to the same timeworn tropes I’ve heard overused on several other releases throughout the years. If your taste in metal is permanently stunted in 1983, you’ll get more out of this album than I did.
5 out of 10
Label: Gates of Hell Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Iron Maiden, Traveler, Manowar