FRENZY FIRE

    

METAL & ROCK REVIEWS

    
             
HOME            
REVIEWS            
ARTISTS            
UPCOMING            
LINKS            
             

 

      
   
   
       
       

Dress For War

    
       
       
       
     
             
Wardress are a heavy metal band from Germany formed in 1984 by guitarist Alex Gor and vocalist Erich Eysn, recording a couple of demos before breaking up the following year. In 2018, Alex recovered the demo tapes, and entered a studio along with Erich to properly record these songs. Accompanied by Mirco Daugsch on bass, Andy Setter on drums and Kimon Roggenbuck on guitar, Wardress recorded ten songs, all of which feature on the bands debut album 'Dress For War', released in 2019.    
             
Wardress have chosen the traditional heavy metal sound over the power metal one that many German bands follow. Influenced by legendary bands such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Manowar, Dio and Black Sabbath, Wardress deliver ten heavy hitting songs with their debut offering, yes their debut - thirty five years after the band first got together and began writing songs. So ,what do get for your money...? Old school heavy metal that's what...! Firmly rooted in the eighties, with the classic foot on the monitor sound, the spoken word come crescendo building opening instrumental 'Prelude To War' gets the album underway in atmospheric fashion, leading to the galloping 'Wardress'. A fast paced, high octane romp, 'Wardress' is pure old school heavy metal. Thundering rhythms and a catchy sing a long style chorus echo everything that is great about traditional heavy metal. Vocalist Erich gives it his all, as his throaty rasp threatens to lacerate a normal persons larynx. At over seven minutes in length, 'Thou Shalt Now Kill' is the longest song on offer and is a mid tempo melodic epic. Haunting and menacing in equal measures, 'Thou Shalt Now Kill' is a mean and moody march, with, at times, a scary and fairy venomous vocal performance.    
             
The album picks up pace and hurtles along at break neck speed, as 'Mad Raper' explodes into life, challenging the Japanese bullet train for speed. The sound of the early eighties NWOBHM evolution rises oh so high with 'Mad Raper', a sound that is maintained with the glorious 'Metal Melodies'. Bringing together the sounds of legendary NWOBHM bands, 'Metal Melodies' is a menagerie of different sounds and styles, from Judas Priest to Motorhead to Iron Maiden and many many more... With its more mellow opening, 'Dark Lord' feels like an oncoming ballad, but after just one minute I am proven totally wrong. The earlier furious gallop returns in full swing as 'Dark Lord' takes off at high velocity. With extremely high levels of energy, 'Dark Lord' is fast, urgent, and with a sense of purpose. The mid song guitar solos have NWOBHM sprinkled all over them, with the guitars buzzing furiously. Oh man, this kinda heavy metal sound takes me back...    
             
The mean and moody feel takes front and centre with 'Betrayal' carving a menacing path across the land, all heavy guitars and Black Sabbath doom style riffage. And if you try and imitate the singers raspy growl, you better have a huge supply of throat lozenges and cough syrup. After all, Erich is a professional and knows how to take care of his voice. A fair number of songs on the album have menacing and aggressive titles, with 'Atrocity' a more violent one. Which kinda matches the songs fast and furious gallop. Much heavier than any other song heard so far, 'Atrocity' is one hundred percent foot on the monitor heavy metal, with a sing a long chorus to boot. And to the final two songs - both chiming in at over six minutes in length. The first, 'Werhen' is a plodding, mid tempo march of mild aggression and menace. The heavy guitars again reminiscent of the great Black Sabbath, Erich's throaty rasp, raspier than ever. And at the three and a half minute mark, fuck me what a guitar riff, the NWOBHM buzz sound sounding better than ever. This is traditional sounding eighties heavy metal at its most glorious, which can also be said about the final song, 'Metal League'. Take everything that Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Motorhead gave to the world by way of heavy metal anthems, and right there is 'Metal League' - a galloping, foot on the monitor styled infectious romp.    
             
Overall, a glorious homage to the legendary sound of the NWOBHM and traditional heavy metal styles, 'Dress For War' is littered with the sound of the eighties.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Fastball Music    
             
Review is also featured at Metal Gods TV    
             
             
Other Reviews    
             

           
           
Metal 'Til The End      
           
"a blistering romp of traditional heavy metal, 'Metal 'Til The End' is infectious and highly head bang-able" Read Review      
     
     
     
           
             
             
Top