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Air Raid: Fatal Encounter

Traditional Heavy Speed Metal

4.0/5.0

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High Roller Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 15.02.2023 | Released: 24.02.2023

Somewhat missing in action, I haven't heard a whisper from Sweden's Air Raid since their 2017 long player, Across The Line. However, in 2019, the band surprised fans with a 7" vinyl double single release, Demon's Eye. Apparently, in this time, Air Raid was in transition. Around the same time, they added a new rhythm section with Jan Ekberg (Stormhold) on bass and William Seidl on drums. With a new crew, the quintet arrives with their long awaited fourth album, Fatal Encounter.

Air Raid

While Air Raid may have been AWOL for some years, the band still remain stalwart proponents of classic heavy speed metal in the NWoBHM tradition. (If anything is a dead giveaway to their musical style, just look at their band photo.) Fans of the genre will recognize their formula: a twin guitar riff attack combined with a vigorous rhythm section for speed and groove, with all things topped off with spry guitar solos.

The content of Fatal Encounter can be summarized as nine songs of traditional metal with a neo-classical guitar instrumental, Sinfonia dividing the album equally in half. On the front end, speed metal rockers arrive with Thunderblood and See The Light. On the other side of the instrumental, there's some slight differences.

One, Edge Of A Dream, though mostly fast and heavy, has an interesting softer voice and bass segue after the midpoint. Don't worry gets speedy with the guitar solo. Let The Kingdom Burn pretty much dismisses the speed for more heavy and steady metal. No worries again. One By One and Pegasus Fantasy round out the album with hurry and haste. All in all, Fatal Encounter is a welcome return to form for Sweden's Air Raid wherein they offer their spry and speedy classic, keep it true, heavy metal. Recommended.

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All in all, Fatal Encounter is a welcome return to form for Sweden's Air Raid wherein they offer their spry and speedy classic, keep it true, heavy metal. Recommended.

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The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]

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