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5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
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Band
Steelwing
Title
Zone Of Alienation
Type
LP/EP
Company
Noise Records
YOR
2012
Style
Traditional
Popular Reviews
6/4/2012 - Review by: Eric Compton

Steelwing
Zone Of Alienation

Company: Noise Art
Release: 2012
Genre: Traditional
Reviewer: EC

  • Good sophomore effort



    • Today's hottest metal sub-genres seems to be more retro than anything. We have the Swede's and their "Stockholm Strip" playing to the crowd of 80s hard rock and glam. On the other side of the coin is the traditionalist movement, those bands in the know of all things vinyl and straight laced from the NWOBHM era. Sweden's Steelwing are of that breed, part of a dozen or so young bands playing their hand at the 80s traditional metal game.

    "Zone Of Alienation" marks the band's second album to date, a follow-up to the quality debut "Lord Of The Wasteland" in 2010. The band courts the same sound as fellow bandmates Enforcer and Wolf, those bands that are brimming with twin guitar harmony, a penchant for Paul DiAnno "out of whack" vocals and that sincere fan dedication that allows them just enough borrowing to still make it original.

    The band's intro, "2097 A.D." is so cool that the bonus track is this same intro "extended". The intro is for anyone who has ever watched an 80s B-movie, those awful synth sounds soaking up movies like "Assault On Precint 13" or "Escape From NY". The band moves ahead with tons of twin guitar galloping fury on "Solar Wind Riders" and "Tokkotai (Wind Of Fury), the former sounding suspiciously familiar. The band has obviously garnered much from Iron Maiden's "Killers", nailing those quick bass runs and timing changes on the title track and "They Came From The Skies". Fans of the first record will enjoy the gang chorus bits on "Full Speed Ahead". The band even shows off some hard rock hooks on the Dokken styled "Breathless".

    Overall this is a good sophomore effort and should appeal to fans of Enforcer, White Wizzard, Skull Fist and Wolf.


    • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
      3.5 :AVE RATING

    ALL REVIEWS FOR: STEELWING
    TITLE
    DOR
    COMPANY
    		 REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
    Lord Of The Wasteland
    2010
    Noise Art
    		Eric Compton8/4/2010
    4.5
    Zone Of Alienation
    2012
    Noise Records
    		Eric Compton6/4/2012
    3.5

    ALL INTERVIEWS FOR: STEELWING
    INTERVIEW INTERVIEWER DATE TAGLINE


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