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Steel Assassin: WWII - Metal of Honor

Heavy/Speed Metal

4.0/5.0

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High Roller Records
by Craig Hartranft,  04.23.2012

Massachusetts' metal warriors Steel Assassin have been at their craft, with more than a few bumps along the way, since the early Eighties. After better than 30 years it's hard believe they only released two full length albums, both in the last six years, the latest being 2012's WWII - Metal of Honor.

Steel Assassin: a tank beats an SUV any day.

As you would suspect from the title, there's a theme to this album. Guitarist Kevin Curran, an avid student and reader of World War II literature, wrote the songs about various aspects of the infamous conflict. This is hardly uncommon in metal, the masters Iron Maiden have done it as have newer acts like Sabaton. There are songs about the battle of Britain (God Save London), Bastogne (Bastogne), the invasion of Normandy (Normandy Angels), and even the Pacific theater with Guadalcanal.

What Steel Assassin does is put their stamp of classic American heavy and speed metal to the subjects. WWII - Metal of Honor is rollicking and powerful, filled with big guitar solos and a rumbling rhythm section. Perhaps the most interesting song is Steel Assassin's cover of Rush's Red Sector A. It looks at the war from a different perspective: Neil Peart wrote this song about a prisoner in German concentration camp of the Holocaust. Don't expect this song to sound quite like the Rush tune.

For both melodic classic heavy metal and 'war metal,' Steel Assassin's WWII - Metal of Honor is solid material. Recommended.

For both melodic classic heavy metal and 'war metal,' Steel Assassin's WWII - Metal of Honor is solid material. Recommended.

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After a brief three year absence from the studio, Swedish rockers Perfect Plan return with their fourth long player, Heart Of A Plan. This arrives after their vocalist, Kent Hilli, has been involved in a few other projects ... [ Read More ]