Back in the early 2010s, before the so called NWOTHM was really a thing, there were a small handful of traditional metal bands keeping the 80s spirit alive. Bands like Striker, Enforcer, and Skull Fist served as denim and leather clad palette cleansers for kids my age hellbent on thrashing to Municipal Waste and Havok. In the time that has passed since those simpler junior high days, Striker went on to become the world’s premiere AOR band. Enforcer attempted AOR as well, but to a much more lukewarm reception. As for Skull Fist, well, they kind of just fell off the face of the earth.
They never officially broke up. In fact, I recall seeing them sometime in the latter half of the 2010s. That said, the train that was powered by 2011’s Head öf the Pack and 2014’s Chasing the Dream had come to a screeching halt. From what I’m aware, Skull Fist fell victim to the “business” side of the music business. There were disputes between they and their label, which lead to 2018’s Way of the Road being virtually unnoticed, as well as its follow up being held in limbo…until now.
A lot has changed since those early 2010s glory days. One thing that hasn’t is Skull Fist’s dedication to simple, straightforward heavy metal, which is proudly showcased on their latest album, Paid in Full. I can’t help but think the album’s title and accompanying title track, a midtempo hard rocker with grooves bordering on doom, is a jab towards past “business partners”. From there, we’ve got high energy traditional metal (“Long Live the Fist”), Dokken-esque melodic metal (“Crush Kill Destroy”), and the type of sword wielding English riffing associated with the likes of Tokyo Blade and Iron Maiden (“Blackout”).
As the album progresses, Skull Fist revisits the doom leanings of the title track on “Madman”. With one foot planted in Sabbathian riffage and the other in muscular arena rock, “Madman” is a grim fist pumping anthem if I’ve ever heard one. “Heavier Than Metal” took me back to 7th grade, in all its juvenile Anvil tinged glory, while “For the Last Time” and “Warriors of the North” kick up the speed to overdrive, the latter even bordering on power metal. Through it all are mighty riffs, flashy solos, and the bombastic vocals of frontman Zach Slaughter, who has been manning the ship from day one.
Although Paid in Full doesn’t pack the punch of those early Skull Fist albums, it’s a testament to the band’s perseverance and determination. This is a band who still plays like they’re hungry. In many ways, they are. Skull Fist is hungry to turn on a whole new generation to their old school sound. I’m not sure what junior high aged metalheads listen to these days. Hell, I’m not even sure if metalheads of that age exist anymore (goes to show you how old I am). If there’s any left out there, I hope they come across Skull Fist and put them on their traditional metal playlist alongside Judas Priest and Iron Maiden…just like I did at that age.
6 out of 10
Label: Atomic Fire Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Enforcer, Striker, Tokyo Blade