Skull Fist, a talented NWOTHM (New Wave Of Traditional Heavy Metal) band from Toronto, returns to the scene with their exciting new album for 2014, Chasing the Dream. This high adrenaline release of nine tight tracks is yet another great example of how a new generation of metal acts are adding their own finesse to a foundation of classic metal.
This young band in particular have a very slick sound somewhere between speed and hair metal with a whole lot of shredding, not to mention some very technically astute riffing, to go around. This is most evident on the incredible instrumental “Shred’s Not Dead”. Overall I’m hearing a lot of NWOBHM and the furious double kick pounding is very reminiscent of Anthrax. As for Jackie Slaughter’s vocal style, he reminds me very much of a young Russ Dwarf of the Killer Dwarfs or perhaps even Michael Sweet of Stryper.
Despite their obvious need for speed, it’s their mid tempo tunes like “Bad for Good” that tend to stick with me. Even the last third of “Hour to Live” lingers a little longer in my memory. Regardless, Skull Fist has put out an excellent album that takes me back to the heady days of Bill and Ted. If their live performance has even half of the energy that this album does then Skull Fist are most definitely an act to catch!
I recommend Chasing the Dream to all self-respecting metal heads both Nu and Old School alike!
Richard Leggatt, HMS
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