Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

We hold fast to the notion of Legends and myths because we are in a time dominated by the small minded and mediocre. Those legends, tales of heroism, fierce loyalty to darkness and the light, of creatures spawned and angels wielding swords with impunity, those are the days which give meaning to the premise of marvels witnessed and traditions created.

To be legendary in Time’s grip you must possess certain qualities, not least that of the irresistible lure of confidence, and whilst that particular sword can be a also be brandished by the trickster and the con artist as well as the hero, it is how it is swung with vengeance or how mercy is unleashed that shows the difference between those all for the metal, and the tricksters trading on heroes of old.

All For Metal is firmly in the realm of the legends in waiting, they catch the ear and the vibe with a ferocity that will only expand in time, that will increase in power and range, and as their debut release, Legends, takes to the skies in the manner of Valkyries and dragons as they hunt in packs for the demons in human guise, so a new attention-grabbing curio begins to appeal.

Appeal, that is the word on the lips as tracks such as Goddess Of War, Raise Your Hammer, Prophecy Of Hope, the superb The Day Of Hammerfall, and Hear The Drum bang against the heart that has seen loss in the genre as old heroes fade and the prayers of the genre loving felt unanswered. This is excitement, the wages of war against the mediocre, for being noteworthy is not enough, the spirit needs love and redemption in equal, undeterred measure.

Tetzel and Antonio Calanna lead the group with a pair of voices harnessing untold energy and are flanked by soldiers of truth in the guise of Ursula Zanichelli, Jasmin Pabst, Florian Toma, and Leif Jensen on either side. It is a prospect that the listener will flourish, will see prosper as metal confounds its unthinking critics by continuing to ally itself to those who see legends thrive and the disease of boredom cut short like weeds.

“All for one”, as another set of legends once spoke in earnest, and all for metal as Legends continues to grow.

All For Metal’s Legends is out now.

Ian D. Hall