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Patron Saint

      
         
         
         
     
             
Cwn Annwn (pronounced coon-uh-noon) are a heavy metal band from the USA formed in 2002, releasing their debut album 'The Method Of Murder' in 2006. Shortly after its release, the bands singer and guitarist Neil James stepped away from the mic to concentrate solely on guitar, with ex Vile Red singer Julie Schultz taking over as lead vocalist. The bands sophomore album 'The Alpha And The Omega' was released in 2011, with 'Metamorphosis' a 2014 release. The bands fourth album 'Patron Saint', was released in 2018.    
             
For a band that has been around for nigh on twenty years, "why the hell haven't I heard of them before" is a question that many are gonna ask of themselves after hearing the latest offering from American heavy metallers Cwn Annwn. The bands fourth album is a relentless romp of full tilt, high velocity and aggressive metal, melding the genres of traditional heavy metal and thrash metal, with strains of the progressive. Eight songs across thirty five fiery minutes are gonna smack you hard, kick you harder and make you ask the aforementioned question over and over again, all the while hanging your head in shame and embarrassment...but not anymore - you've heard of them now...    
             
'Patron Saint' is one of those rare albums where each successive song is better than its predecessor, culminating in a glorious final hurrah of epic magnitude...well worth the half hour bombastic and boisterous build up. The album is brought to life with the title song 'Patron Saint', a meld of thrash, progressive and the classic sound of traditional heavy metal. An up front, in you face and blunt stomp, 'Patron Saint' (the song) is the aperitif, the starter, and the beginning of a glorious gallop of heavy metal. 'Outlander' turns the heat up with a massive NWOBHM influence, and a mighty opening guitar riff that will have pulses racing and adrenaline flowing fast. Echoing the buzz sound from the iconic NWOBHM genre. 'Outlander' is foot on the monitor style heavy metal at its best. The intensity increases ten fold with the more thrash-like 'It Will Come From The Sea'. Portraying a darker and moodier vibe, 'It Will Come From The Sea' is head bangingly savage as it thunders on by. 'God Of Needles' is high velocity, high speed metal to vigorously head bang to. A majestic romp of raucous riffery, 'God Of Needles' is gonna crumble walls as it whizzes furiously past.    
             
Halfway through the album in what seems like the blink of an eye, Cwn Annwn are a savage storm of fire and brimstone, firing on all cylinders, delivering one of the best albums I've heard for some time. 'Brita's Vale' introduces a touch of the thrash metal style of American legends Megadeth, hard hitting and aggressive, yet catchy and infectious. With ferocious force, 'Course Of Obliteration' steams in and stomps over everything that gets in its way. The sounds of thrash metal and NWOBHM are blended together perfectly as 'Course Of Obliteration' swiftly sails on by like a destroyer off to war. And oh my fucking God, what a riff that opens 'Salient Ground'. The buzz is NWOBHM, the aggression is thrash, and my heart just skipped a beat...the hairs on my arms rising high with excitement. The mid tempo pace, the heavy hitting rhythms, the, oh just fuck it, everything about 'Salient Ground' is just awesome...and is the best song on offer - that is until the final song 'Ice From The Sun' explodes into life. 'Ice From The Sun' is definitely the best song the album has to offer, and is a terrific swagger through the genres of traditional metal, thrash and death. Yep, that's right - Death! Original singer Neil takes over the mic and fairly bellows the lyrics, with howls and growls aplenty. Current singer Julie is relegated to backing vocal duties, yet delivers some mighty howls and growls of her own. 'Ice From The Sun' is a ferocious high velocity, high speed, highly intense, tremendous end to a cracker of an album.    
             
Overall, a fast paced and furious mix of thrash and traditional heavy metal, Cwn Annwn deliver a glorious gallop of head bangingly addictive metal.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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