It’s that time of year again! The Legions of Metal lineup is out and yours truly gets to bask in the glory of the bands he’s catching this year. A headlining Toxic Holocaust set (when was the last time we got one of those?)! Heathen playing the songs that matter! Some iteration of Crimson Glory! High Spirits for the two zillionth time! Amidst all these genre mainstays are no shortage of newcomers, guaranteed to leave their own imprint on the scene in due time. Most of these acts can be found on the Joint stage, Reggies’ smaller half, which is where the subject of today’s review, Myth Carver, will be playing.
Interestingly enough, Myth Carver consists of past and present members of crossover acts like End Times, Frost Koffin, I Am, and Fugitive, albeit trying their hand at good ol’ fashioned US power metal. I tend to be a bit skeptical of this rampant genre-hopping of late (i.e. AOR guys going power metal, traditional metal guys going black metal, and so forth), but hey, if it scratches a long ignored creative itch, who am I to judge? And if these supergroup side projects were executed half as proficiently as Myth Carver’s debut EP, Twist of Fate, I’d be, well, half the skeptic I am today!
Twist of Fate comes storming out of the gate with a blistering power/speed banger in “Untamed Steel”. Coming off like a lost Jag Panzer song circa ’84, “Untamed Steel” is a savage and bloodthirsty opener, chock full of headbanger riffs and utterly wild vocals courtesy of Daniel Schmuck, whose Tim Baker-esque shrieks and shouts should be higher in the mix. Of course, even on a power metal release, these thrashers can’t keep their moshing ways out of the equation, and throw in a breakdown passage that, oddly enough, adds to the character of the song instead of derailing it.
These aforementioned thrash influences rear their ugly, Suicidal Tendencies cap-wearing head throughout the course of this EP, especially on “Shadow Firmament”. One doesn’t think of moshing to USPM fare, but Myth Carver makes it hard not to, throwing in the occasional meathead breakdown amidst early Queensrÿche-esque vocal melodies and your textbook battle march riffs. The aptly title “Thunderkill” also utilizes this formula, straightforward as could be with its anthemic chorus and bone-crushing riffage. Seriously, I cannot emphasize enough how lethal the crunch of the guitars are from start to finish.
After two midtempo cuts, “Iron Helm” closes Twist of Fate on a fiery, in your face note. It’s not as intense as the opening “Untamed Steel”, but definitely closer sonically to said opener than the two tracks preceding. Put these four songs together and you’ve got a strong opening statement from Myth Carver, one that could be cultivated into an utterly valorous full length with the right weaponry and battle tactics. Perhaps we’ll be treated to a song or two off said tentative full length at this year’s Legions of Metal? I guess you’ll have to buy a ticket and find out!
7 out of 10
Label: Independent
Genre: Power Metal
For fans of: Eternal Champion, Jag Panzer, Omen
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