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Steel Assassin
In Hellfire Forged

Company: High Roller Records
Release: 2009
Genre: Traditional
Reviewer: EC

  • Blue collar traditional metal



    • Boston's Steel Assassin has been stoking the fires since 1984, a blue collar traditional metal act that has released two albums in twenty-six years. No chance of the band showing their hand, right? I have never actually heard any of the Steel Assassin material until High Roller Records and Pure Steel joined forces to provide "In Hellfire Forged". This is a vinyl only release that circulated late last year and pressed five hundred copies.

    Musically the band are right in the middle of the red, white and blue of the 80s, a pounding metal riff that harkens to the days of Jag Panzer, Omen and Manowar. Interesting enough that the band possesses that added East Side ingredient normally found with acts like Hades and Meliah Rage who lurked in the gutters to rage with the best of Overkill and Anthrax. New vocalist John Falzone (Triphammer) is quite a catch for the band, a talented young man with pipes that recall early Harry Conklin (Jag Panzer) crossed with Euro star Michael Seifert (Rebellion, Black Destiny).

    "In Hellfire Forged" is a collection of greatest hits from the band, all re-recorded for a 2010 spin. Old classics (new for me!) like "Spartacus" and "Crusader" spill over a Teutonic metal rage brimming with attitude and intensity normally found with those 80s loyalists. "Heavy Metal Soldiers From Hell" is delivered as the title advertises, a great anthem highlighted by Falzone's fantastic voice. Favorites are "Attilla The Hun" and a new track called "Breakout At St. Lo", a pre-cursor to the group's new WWII themed album "Medal Of Honor".



    Maximum Metal Rating Legend - Full Details
    5 Excellent - Buy it and say a prayer to the metal gods that you were tuned on to this masterpiece. A classic.
    4-4.5 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a clunker or a lacking somewhere to keep it from perfection. You won't feel bad about dropping some bones on these.
    3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler. This is the OK range where you'd search for the record on sale or used.
    3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio. Could show skills but be dull overall. Redeeming qualities for indy bands are effort and passion. Majors that don't try or suck outright end up here.
    2-2.5 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors. There is much better metal out there.
    1-1.5 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
    0 Terrible or an otherwise waste of your life and time.

    Note: Reviews are graded from 0-5, anything higher or not showing is from our old style. Scores, however, do not reveal the important features. The written review that accompanies the ratings is the best source of information regarding the music on our site. Reviewing is opinionated, not a qualitative science, so scores are personal to the reviewer and could reflect anything from being technically brilliant to gloriously cheesy fun.

    The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.

    Demos and independent releases get some slack since the bands are often spent broke supporting themselves and trying to improve. Major releases usually have big financial backing, so they may be judged by a heavier hand. All scores can be eventually adjusted up or down by comparison of subsequent releases by the same band. We attempt to keep biases out of reviews and be advocates of the consumer without the undo influence of any band, label, management, promoter, etc.


    All reviews for this band:
    CD
    		 TITLE BAND
    DOR
    		 REVIEWER DATE
    		In Hellfire ForgedSteel Assassin
    2009
    		EC7/15/2010


    Interviews found from this band:
    INTERVIEW BAND INTERVIEWER DATE


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