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Shadows Phantoms Nightmares

    
       
       
       
     
             
Spitfire MKIII are a heavy metal band from Italy, formed during the eighties heyday for heavy metal evolution. The band were originally named Spitfire, and released 'Time And Eternity' in 2010, changing their name to Spitfire MKIII and releasing 'Shadows Phantoms Nightmares' in 2022...    
             
...featuring eleven heavy hitting songs across fifty one heavier hitting minutes! The band are very much influenced by the sound of traditional metal and the old school "foot on the monitor" feel. Bringing the album to life, is the ground shuddering 'Earthquake', and a gallop outta the blocks that just resonates with the sound of classic heavy metal from an era that many say is the best era for metal - the eighties! And the band were around at that time too, so is it really any surprise that the bands sound features a strong classic flavour? Moving on, Spitfire MKIII enter the realm of anthemic heavy metal with the hard hitting and punchy 'The Eagles Are Laughing' - think British metallers Saxon, and you'll have some idea of the sound the band are aiming for here. There's fifteen hundred miles between these Italians and the UK, yet Spitfire MKIII definitely sound like a band from the UK.    
             
Staying put in the heavy metal genre, the album powers on with an Iron Maiden style gallop - 'Phantom Barrow' nodding heads and tapping feet as it moves forward at a comfortably infectious pace. The opening triple salvo has been very traditional and old school, pleasing every older fan of heavy metal (me included), as well as attracting many younger ones too! With an injection of energy and the addition of NWOBHM sounding guitars, the band maintain their old school leanings with the bustling 'Once It Was Human (The Fly)'. Loud and proud 'Once It Was Human (The Fly)' is big, bold, and bombastic to the max. Hitting the brakes, 'Spirit Of The Blindman' is a slow burner, building a tension filled atmosphere as it strides into view, gripping the listeners attention with a vice like grip and never letting go. Maintaining a slow lolloping pace, 'Spirit Of The Blindman' never reaches the power and pace of every other song heard so far.    
             
But by crikey, 'Screaming Steel' certainly does! The classic sound of NWOBHM guitars fills the air as the band firmly plant both feet on the monitor and proceed to deliver British sounding metal as if it were the bands forte - 'Shadows Phantoms Nightmares' an album packed to the rafters with traditional heavy metal. And as we break into the albums second half, the most melodious song on offer surfaces and rises high - 'Gangs Fight' a cracking example of melodic heavy metal. It's infectious, sing a long-able, and memorable for every reason possible - 'Gangs Fight' a crowd pleaser of the tallest order. The power driven style of British metal legends Judas Priest comes to the fore with 'Golem Of Prague' - the opening line sounding like it's sung by the legendary Rob Halford himself! And the chorus echoes the British metallers too - a cracking way to pay homage to one of the greatest heavy metal bands ever.    
             
Picking up the heaviness to become a thundering foot stomp, the band stomp very hard with 'Sign Of The Times' shuddering the ground as it marches on by. Yet somehow, the band are melodious as well as thunderous - just how do they do it? Years of experience that's how! And for the first time, all heaviness is dropped in favour of a much mellower sound, 'Beauty vs. Beast' sweeping us towards balladry - for the first minute anyway! And then raging guitars take over, shredding us into a high energy gallop that's bouncy and bombastic, going through a number of gear and tempo changes as it swaggers on. Bringing the album to a close is the heavy hitting 'Winners Take All' - leaving the listener in awe of an unbroken line of eleven energy laden heavy metal anthems with a glorious old school feel, and an infectious level yelling for the replay button to be pressed, and pressed again.    
             
Overall, a bombastic barrage of traditional heavy metal, full of energy, and highly head bang-able.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for DVL Gator Bureau    
             
             
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