I’ve said many a time that if Iron Maiden were to fold after the release of Killers in 1981, their status as metal legends would already be cemented for all of eternity. Their first two albums, Iron Maiden and the aforementioned Killers are not just defining moments of the NWOBHM, but cornerstones of metal’s burgeoning evolution at that moment in time. Of course, we all know what happened from there. Maiden would soldier on another 40+ years and 100+ million albums sold later, still going stronger than ever today. Meanwhile, Paul Di’Anno, the voice of those two classic albums, would continue onwards as well with a slew of vehicles, amongst them being Di’Anno, Battlezone, Killers, and this here latest project, Warhorse.
Of course, it has not been an easy road for Di’Anno. From legal woes to ongoing health struggles, the iconic frontman is the last person to believe that he’s still releasing new music 45 years since Maiden dropped their groundbreaking Soundhouse Tapes demo. And yet, here we are. Although Di’Anno did not contribute to the writing of this album, musically or lyrically, Warhorse and their eponymous debut album serves as an outlet for him to remain active vocally: Something that was unthinkable as recent as a few years ago. Sure, Di’Anno’s voice has weathered with age, but that unforgettable snarl remains.
Interestingly enough, Warhorse doesn’t borrow so much from the early Maiden playbook (except for the closing “Going Home”) as much as it adheres to the “traditional metal with a modern production” formula of bands like Judas Priest and Saxon from the ’10s onwards. Cuts like “Warhorse”, “Get Get Ready”, and “The Doubt Within” boast fist-pumping riffs, energetic performances, and repetitive choruses that lie somewhere between musical placeholders and driving the hook home. It’s predictable, yet enjoyable metal, that stands on its own when coupled with Di’Anno’s vocal prowess.
Even at this age and stage in the game, Di’Anno manages to showcase the full dynamics of his range, from ferocious growls on the sloppy, pissed off metalpunk banger “Go”, to gentle melodies on the “Strange World”-esque “Forever Bound”. The voice is unmistakably his, and even amidst questionable inclusions like a raucous cover of “Tequila” (Paging Mr. Pee Wee Herman!) or the Evanescence-core of “Precious” (A song that would’ve been at home on rock radio in 2004), manages to draw in Maiden diehards of all ages, grateful that he’s still creating music to begin with.
Now admittedly, Warhorse feels less like an album proper and more like a collection of jams compiled together as an extended demo, which isn’t entirely wrong. Three of the ten songs on here had already been released prior, so excluding the “Tequila” cover, that leaves us with six new songs. Assuming Warhorse gallops on to a second album, I’d love to hear some musical and lyrical output from Di’Anno himself. After all, this is the man who co-wrote “Killers”, “Remember Tomorrow”, and “Running Free”. Until then, I’m just thrilled to have an album with his name on it in 2024 to begin with, and so should you.
6 out of 10
Label: BraveWords Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Saxon