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Coldsteel: American Idle EP

Heavy/Thrash Metal

4.0/5.0

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Stormspell Records
by Craig Hartranft,  02.06.2013

Resurrected from their demise better than 20 years in the underground metal scene is New York's Coldsteel. Back in the day they had a good reputation for creating classic American thrash. They had some demos, even a long player, Freakboy, but as things go their history has more twists and turns than a daytime soap opera.

Coldsteel:: mama says, 'knock you out.'

But Coldsteel's back with a five song EP, American Idle, and they're not straying too far from their Eighties thrash metal roots. This is definitely for fans of early Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, or Overkill. There's lots of speed and intensity, strong bass and drum work, lots of slick riffage, some big guitar solos, and decent, sometimes raspy, always clean vocals, all wrapped up in melodic metal.

Actually, having only been reorganized since 2012, it's surprising how good Coldsteel and American Idle sounds. While not necessarily an overly technical album (it's rather straight forward American thrash), the arrangements are quite sophisticated, keeping your attention and interest. It seems Coldsteel put some time and thought into this production. After all they could have rehashed some of their older stuff. Here's hoping that American Idle takes off; if Coldsteel had promise 20 years ago, then they've lost none of that promise and power today. 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.

Here's hoping that American Idle takes off; if Coldsteel had promise 20 years ago, then they've lost none of that promise and power today. Recommended.

Alphabetical Index

Three decades on and still going strong is the iconic progressive rock band, The Flower Kings, founded by veteran multi-instrumentalist and composer Roine Stolt. Since 1994, The Flower Kings have been known ... [ Read More ]