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British Steel

      

The Rising Force Of British Heavy Metal

      
         
         
     
             
British Steel is a 2017 compilation album featuring the rising force of British heavy metal, packed with eleven songs from the best new British heavy metal bands.    
             
British heavy metal is a genre in its own right, having been around for nearly fifty years, with its roots firmly planted in the British city of Birmingham. Spearheading its evolution in the early seventies, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest set about creating a legacy, which bands such as Diamond Head, Girlschool, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Saxon and Venom re-enforced as the seventies became the eighties. British heavy metal went global, inspiring bands all around the world, paving the way to influence and create many other genres of metal, such as power and thrash. Britain is widely recognised as the birthplace of heavy metal, with so many great bands emerging over the years to follow the path set by the mighty Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. The future is looking great too, this compilation showcasing the best of today's British heavy metal...eleven bands, eleven songs and forty six minutes of pure British heavy metal.    
             
Amulet, set to release their second album during 2018, showcase their galloping style with 'Highwayman'. This demo version is everything the British heavy metal sound is famed for and is a blisteringly fast paced song that will have heads banging from start to finish. Aggressive Perfector take their name from an early Slayer song, and with a debut album still to appear, 'Harlot's Spell' is a thunderous mid tempo stomp, infused with touches of thrash to give it a raw, brutal edge. Eliminator released an E.P. in 2011, and after a period of relative quiet, the band are back with a new singer and have re recorded an old song 'Lost In The Void'. A punchy and infectious romp, 'Lost In The Void' gallops along at pace, with a sing a long style chorus. Dungeon combine the genres of speed and thrash, to deliver a savage and brutal assault on the senses. With two E.P.'s already under their belt 'Queen Of Sin' captures the band at their rawest and most intense as they speed through three of the most aggressive minutes on this compilation. Dark Forest have released four albums since their inception in 2002. 'Where The Arrow Falls' is from their 2016 album 'Beyond The Veil' and is heavy rock with a clean and clear vocal delivery, a catchy rhythm and a slight touch of the European hard rock sound. Toldeo Steel have already set the UK heavy metal scene alight with two sparkling E.P. releases, and with a debut full length album in the pipeline, new song 'Rock Nights' showcases the bands aptitude for addictive and catchy melodic heavy metal. A relentless and head bangingly addictive rhythm pushes 'Rock Nights' along at a mid tempo pace, and with its sing a long style chorus, Toledo Steel are on to a winner with this one.    
             
Vuil are the only non English band featured on this compilation. Hailing from Scotland the band display a raw and brutal thrash infused black metal style similar to legendary UK band Venom. 'Iron Witch' is an aggressive and attitude laden romp, taken from an upcoming new release. Seven Sisters released their debut album in 2016 and are heavily influenced by the evolutionary NWOBHM sound. 'The Witch's Eye' is an exclusive recording and shows the band at their most aggressive. Delivered at a break neck speed, 'The Witch's Eye' gallops on furiously and is a mouth watering appetiser for their upcoming second album. Insurgency are a brutal blast of death, black and thrash metal. 'Destined For Death' is taken from the bands second E.P. 'Militant Death Cult' and is a very heavy and aggressive slab of pulsating metal. Neuronspoiler deliver the traditional sound of British heavy metal, with 'Slay The Beast' taken from the bands second album 'Second Sight'. A "fist in the air", "foot on the monitor" style romp, 'Slay The Beast' has a catchy sing a long style chorus and an addictive rhythm. Wytch Hazel are more hard rock than heavy metal, forming in 2011 releasing their debut album in 2016. 'Freedom Battle' is taken from that debut and features a sound born in the seventies and progressed into the eighties as melodic hard rock/AOR. 'Freedom Battle' is head noddingly addictive and an easy listen.    
             
Overall, a cracking introduction to what the UK has on offer to continue the British heavy metal sound on a global scale.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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