Note to bands inquiring an album review: If your band is named after a Sanctuary song, chances are I will immediately check out your new release. At least that’s how England’s Termination Force caught my attention. Was I expecting a brilliant slab of power metal in the tradition of Refuge Denied (1988) or some thought provoking prog metal akin to Into the Mirror Black (1990)? Absolutely not. Those albums were moments in time. As far as I’m concerned, even Nevermore at their finest didn’t come close to early Sanctury’s excellence (Feel free to fight me in the comments on that one.), but I digress.
This review isn’t about Sanctuary or Nevermore or any other Warrel Dane (R.I.P.) affiliated project. No, this review is about Termination Force, a band named after a Dane penned song, and their debut EP, Netherworld. It seems in this day and age, specifically in the traditional metal world, that an EP is the way to go before embarking upon a full length voyage. Give the fans an appetizer before serving up the main course, and let the record companies see if enough people give a shit before investing their hard earned dough in a full length.
Upon first listen, Netherworld is about as straightforward a new school traditional metal release as one could get. Sure, there are occasional power metal leanings, but I feel it’s impossible to be a traditional metal band in the year 2022 without channeling some Metal Church, Agent Steel, early Queensrÿche…you get the idea. “After the Fall” (not to be confused with the Journey song of the same name) kicks things off in a rather orthodox fashion. The vocals recall those of Metal Church’s David Wayne, but set to a stripped down, NWOBHM derived backdrop. In contrast, “Termination Force” has a slightly more aggressive power metal feel to it, especially in the riffing.
“Target Locked” keeps the old school power metal assault going, doubling down on speed and energy without sacrificing melody and precision. At this point, I was of the mindset this band owes more to Enforcer and other NWOTHM stalwarts paying homage to the 80s sound than any 80s bands proper per se. Such an assessment is certainly possible. The strongest cut on the EP, “Heart Racer”, is a dead ringer for Defenders era Priest, down to the melodies, riffs, and drumming, while the closing title track is as up-front as the opening “After the Fall”; a no frill, anthemic headbanger guided by the spirit of all things retro.
There isn’t anything particularly spectacular about Netherworld, but it is indeed a step up from the usual run of the mill Maiden and Priest clones who have dominated the NWOTHM scene for years now. I’d be curious to see their growth upon a full length album. Will they double down on the power metal side of things and go full blown steel crazy? Or maybe they’ll take cues from “Heart Racer” and cruise on down the melodic metal route? Time will tell, but either way, I’m along for the ride.
6 out of 10
Label: Independent
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Enforcer, Judas Priest, Sanctuary