EVIL SURVIVES

This is just way too much fun. The "Thank You" list in the liner notes of EVIL SURVIVES' "Powerkiller" tells the story about as well any analysis of the actual music: "Satan, the '80s, IRON MAIDEN / JUDAS PRIEST / MERCYFUL FATE (for the riffs)." The six-track vinyl-only release from vinyl label War on Music is a grand traditional heavy metal LP from a Winnipeg, Manitoba quintet that unashamedly takes influence from legends that made some of the best music in the history of the genre.

The fact that "Powerkiller" sends its message to the masses via turntable brings the tunes to life in a warm, organic way that just cannot be captured on compact disc. Ed Repka's cover art makes it the complete package and with band member names like Axe N Smash (pipes),Sean Murray (axe),Adrian Riff (axe),Dr. Wiseman Harrisist (bass),and Derek the Butcher (drums),there are no secrets left about what's in store for the old-school, denim-and-leather-clad metalhead.

Obviously, it is the music itself that is the deal sealer. Side A — how often do you read that in reviews these days? — opens with "Resist the Exorcism", a totally IRON MAIDEN bass pumper followed by "Creature of Sin" with its classic twin leads and the first of many instances where the earthy bass/drum sound floods the album with genuineness. It is on the impeccably arranged "Judas Priest Live" where the ass-kickin' is raised several notches and bits of (of course) JUDAS PRIEST and MERCYFUL FATE fuse with the MAIDEN-esque structure as Axe N Smash tells the tale of the '82 concert experience with the Birmingham brawlers, his spine tingling scream the exclamation point to a solid, if unspectacular, vocal performance. "Die Like a Samauri" closes Side A in, you guessed it, true IRON MAIDEN form.

As strong as the songs on Side A may be, it is Side B where the band lets it all hang out and gives one an indication of future potential. After "Ferraria Puela" reminds the listener of an era when well written instrumentals were just as important to an album's success as the rest of the vocal-inclusive songs, EVIL SURVIVES climbs to the top of the mountain with epic (in length and arrangement) cut "The Descent into Hades" that is the highlight of "Powerkiller". Somewhere between "Piece of Mind" and "Powerslave" the song gallops, lunges, pulls back with acoustic-based sections, and awes with great twin-guitar fireworks and bass acrobatics.

This is a hidden gem that begs for discovery. That there is still room for improvement bodes well for future EVIL SURVIVES recordings. Dust off that turntable or buy a new one (they are once again readily available for purchase) and order your copy of "Powerkiller" posthaste.