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March 2023

• Excalion: Once Upon A Time
• RPWL: Crime Scene
• Transworld Identity: Seven Worlds
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February 2023

• Air Raid: Fatal Encounter
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January 2023

• Girish & The Chronicles: Back On Earth (Reissue)
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• Electric Mob: 2 Make U Cry & Dance
• Crowne: Operation Phoenix
• Ronnie Romero: Raised On Heavy Radio
• Ten: Something Wicked This Way Comes
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December 2022

• NY Fury: I Want It All
• Tommy DeCarlo: Dancing In The Moonlight
• Tarmat: Out Of The Blue
• Scream Maker: Bloodking
• Sabu: Banshee
• Rob Moratti: Epical
• Nevena: Nevena
• Landfall: Elevate
• After Lapse: Face The Storm

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Traveler: Termination Shock

Traditional Heavy/Speed Metal

4.5/5.0

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Gates Of Hell Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 22.04.2020 | Released: 24.04.2020

Started by guitarist Matt Ries (Gatekrashör and Hrom), Calagry's Traveler hit the ground running with their self-titled debut album in 2019. The band, largely made up of friends in the Calgary metal scene, would quickly hit the road banging heads across Canada, the United States, and Europe, with their traditional heavy metal. Now the quintet returns with their second studio effort, Termination Shock.

Traveler

Traditional heavy metal doesn't quite define the Traveler sound. You need to add at least one important element: speed. Traveler easily blurs the line between classic steady metal and speed metal. Needless to say, speed metal requires an ambitious and rabid rhythm section, and drummer Chad Valier and bassist David Arnold are up to the task, delivering potent gallop and groove. The next important element are the guitar lines. The twin guitar harmony is self-evident, but the riffs must as quick and brisk as the rhythm section and, of course, the solos must be furious. And so, Matt Reis and Toryin Schadlich offer a fret full of whoop ass.

So then go the songs, where most begin with bold drums and strong riffs, then gallop kicks in, and we're off to the races. You'll hear this with Shaded Mirror, Foreverman, and Terra Exodus. But hold on tightly and don't let go, STK and especially Deepspace explode the bullet train metaphor with their assertive, nitro-fueled speed. Alternatively, just to mess with your head, Traveler interrupts the gallop with the acoustic, and softer, start to After The Future. But have no fear, at the two minute mark, the fast and heavy metal returns to rush to a twin guitar solo finish. Always remember, beware of the song that starts slow. All said, with Termination Shock, Canada's Traveler delivers another solid and speedy album of their twin guitar driven galloping heavy metal. Easily recommended.

All said, with Termination Shock, Canada's Traveler delivers another solid and speedy album of their twin guitar driven galloping heavy metal. Easily recommended.

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Formed 23 years ago, Finland's Excalion has had a turbulent musical career. Before releasing a trio of albums between 2005 and 2010, they had personnel changes. Currently, only the drummer and keyboard ... [ Read More ]