Band: 3 Inches of Blood
Release: Long Live Heavy Metal
Canadian metal warriors 3 Inches of Blood make a storming return with ‘Long Live Heavy Metal’; a glorious power/thrash metal fusion that is easily the band’s most defining moment to date.
From bass-heavy opening track ‘Metal Woman’, which sounds like a devilish mix of thrash and glam with a hearty helping of 80’s metal, to its close at ‘One For The Ditch’, the album remains an anthemic powerhouse. It’s packed with anthemic choruses and shredding solos, but never fears to tread different ground, with powerful instrumental tracks like ‘Chief And The Blade’ introducing some great progressive elements into an album that seems to evolve with every track. It’s great to see the band carry on with so much momentum, even as they take a tongue-in-cheek approach to some of the more flamboyant elements of metal with ‘Leather Lord’ and ‘Look Out’. It’s never taken totally seriously, and this is what allows ‘Long Live Heavy Metal’ to achieve that epic 80’s metal sound.
It’s hard to find flaws – it’s solidly produced and delivered so confidently that it’s genuinely hard not to stomp your feet and raise the horns – but this latest instalment in the band’s metal legacy might be a little too flamboyant for some. The Dream Theater-esque prog tracks may be off putting for traditional metalheads but for fans of the band or those open to bands experimenting, you’re in for a hell of a show.
The single best moment of the entire album is without a doubt seven minute battle anthem ‘Men of Fortune’, which goes through the full range of 3 Inches of Blood‘s strengths – brutal riffs, tight drums, and their trademark screeching vocals. For vintage metal, look no further!
Reviewer: Laurence Braddow
