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November 2024

• Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
• Lionville: Supernatural
• Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
• Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
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• Seventh Crystal: Entity
• Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
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October 2024

• Casandra's Crossing: Garden Of Earthly Delights
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September 2024

• Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
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• Eclipse: Megalomanium II
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• Gabrielle De Val and the Dragonlords: Tiger
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August 2024

• Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
• Paralydium: Universe Calls
• Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
• Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
• All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
• Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2

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Savage: Sons of Malice

(Melodic) Hard Rock/Heavy Metal

4.0/5.0

Website (MySpace)
Minus2Zebra Records
by Craig Hartranft,  07.28.2012

Everybody knows the story of how Metallica was highly influenced by UK metal legends Diamondhead But did you know that they recorded Savage's Let It Loose for a demo, one that helped launch their historic career? Yes, it's true. Savage's history dates to the dawn of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. In their early success, thanks to the album Loose and Lethal, they would share festival stages with Metallica. Like the story of many bands, their success was fleeting, their career rocky. They folded, regrouped and then paused again. Now Savage 3.0 appears with their sixth studio album, the first in 11 years, Sons of Malice.

Savage: and tough looking, too.

If you're going to make a comeback, then you might as well go large. Sons of Malice contains 13 tracks, over 58 minutes, of classic melodic hard rock and heavy metal. The tunes have a strong rock groove, but also enough weight to both bang your head and tap your toe. Tasty guitar licks come at a premium, including some spry stuff from Kristian Bradley, son of Chris Bradley and nephew of Andy Dawson, founders of the band.

The more metal side of things look to the opener The Rage Within, Sons of Malice, Junkyard Dogs, and Fallen Idols. For the hard rock side Monkey on My Back and Blow bring the grove, and then dig the blues groove of Black n Blue. Savage packed much into this album, and so begs the question, should they have shortened it and left some songs for the next release. Either way, Savage is back and sounding pretty damn good. Easily recommended.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Savage, these longtime purveyors of classic British hard rock and heavy metal, are back and sounding pretty damn fine.

Alphabetical Index

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]