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Humo Negro

      
         
         
         
     
             
Click here to read a Spanish version.    
             
Excalibur are a heavy rock band from Spain forming in 1984, releasing their debut album in 1988. In 1990 an E.P. was released, with the band recording a second album in 1995, but this album was never released and the band was "put on hold". Reforming in 2013, the band released a five song mini album, with their third album 'Humo Negro' released in 2017.    
             
Combining the classic eighties British heavy metal sound with the European power metal style, Excalibur get their new album underway with the self titled song 'Excalibur'. Full of pace and galloping rhythms, this is easily the kind of stuff to head bang to. Excalibur singing in their native tongue may prevent many of us from singing along, but it certainly doesn't prevent us from enjoying the music. With the awesome twin guitar lead the album continues with 'El Indigente' introducing a more melodic hard rock feel. 'El Indigente' chugs endlessly as it progresses and is a cracking hard rock romp. Heavily influenced by the NWOBHM guitar sound, 'Fuera De Lugar' is a guitar driven heavy metal stomp. The opening triple salvo from Excalibur prove the band have "still got it" after all these years, and are more than capable of re-establishing themselves as a premier heavy metal band.    
             
The very much English titled song 'Rock And Roll' displays an American heavy rock style and is very catchy and infectious. Now, I cannot speak Spanish (and let's be honest, am very unlikely to learn it), but I found myself singing along to 'Rock And Roll', totally positive I wasn't singing the lyrics correctly...except for the chorus chant of "Rock And Roll". The keyboard intro to 'Levantate' is mellow and atmospheric, the vocal delivery more soulful and suddenly you find yourself listening to a ballad, or I think it is...still don't understand the lyrics! Either way, hold your lighters aloft and enjoy the moment. Returning the album to its hard rocking roots, 'Europa' injects energy and rolls on at a mid tempo pace. The rhythms thunder, the guitars duel and you think you're listening to a traditional British band, until they start singing...    
             
With a huge Judas Priest influence, 'Fiesta Motera' is a hard rocking slab of melodic heavy metal. Plodding along at a mid tempo pace, 'Fiesta Motera' is catchy in all the right places. The title song 'Humo Negro' is more rock than metal and is an easy listening kind of song. Great guitar work keeps 'Humo Negro' rolling along as on occasion it breaks out into a romp. Bringing this thoroughly enjoyable album to a close is the hard edged, heavy rock stomp 'Fuego'. The heaviest song on the album by a long shot, 'Fuego' fuses the British heavy metal and European power metal sounds to create a pulsating and addictive listen. For all those fans out there like me who cannot understand a single word Excalibur are singing: don't worry, just sit back, turn the volume up and listen to the music...it will be a pleasant listen.    
             
Overall, classic sounding traditional heavy metal that is both catchy and infectious, with sing a long ability restricted to only those who can understand and speak Spanish.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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