BIOMECHANICAL

Where have these guys been hiding? How could such a crushing and creative classic/modern heavy metal band have alluded me? The band is BIOMECHANICAL and they've been rolling down the streets of London, toppling buildings and trampling the inhabitants like a British Godzilla. Now that Earache is about to unleash "The Empires of the World" on the rest of humanity, Armageddon is not far off.

Take the best moments of JUDAS PRIEST, NEVERMORE, and PANTERA, throw in film score orchestration, and what you end up with is "The Empires of the World". I was knocked off balance initially by the band's over-the-top blockbuster movie soundtrack effects, the coupling of it with such a jarring metallic approach overwhelming me. Therein lies the beauty though, as the "The Empires of the World" offers so much to the listener with each spin of the disc that it's impossible to absorb it all in one sitting. Far from sounding dated, the band's epic coating and challenging arrangements, as well as Andy Sneap's always crisp and vicious production, turns the album into one that is both exciting and violent. John K's vocals are so versatile and powerful that once again I couldn't help but recall the delivery of a Dane, Halford, or Anselmo, often all three. From the manic and chaotically fast tracks ("Truth Denied", "Assaulter") to the more dramatic/involved pieces ("Relinquished Destiny", "Long Time Dead", and the four-part "Absolution"),the work of BIOMECHANICAL takes the head-banging excellence of the masters and combines it with its own frenzied and modern application.

There are so many points on this album when the hairs stood up on the back of my neck and the adrenaline flowed as memories of the devastation I felt from "Vulgar/Driven"PANTERA, "Vengeance/Painkiller"PRIEST, and "Neon Black/Dead Heart"NEVERMORE came rushing back. I haven't heard an album in quite some time that takes everything I love about the vintage work of said bands and adds layer upon layer of creativity and freshness. Now THIS is British Steel!