Dragon's Kiss - Barbarians of the Wasteland (2014)

Dragon's Kiss - Barbarians of the Wasteland (2014)

 

With a MARQUIS DE SADE and a NEW ORDER cover, DRAGON’S KISS present another 6 of their own songs with their new album "Barbarians of the Wasteland". From Portugal this is a project based album with guest musicians, so with the calling to arms of some skillful players you'd expect something cool. So is it?

Well from the off it is very Metal and yes, as skillful as you would think. I did laugh at the title of the first track, but only as it made me think of the title "Warriors of Genghis Kahn" by BAD NEWS, lol, but it opens with a drum fill, a great metal riff, some cool solo work, and feels classic already. Raspy but nicely pitched vocals (actually reminding me a little of my old mate Schmier from DESTRUCTION) and a pounding pushed temp drives the track, a little breakdown pre the outro and some nice harmonized guitar to see us out, all nice stuff. "Ride for Revenge" opens with a classic NWOBHM type riff and again some cool guitar work, very '80's in feel, ala SAXON etc., no need to list bands, you get it right? Although the lead guitar work is very 2000's in skill and style, which really sits very well on this. Again, the track feels like I should have already heard it before, like it was already a known track. If Rob Halford was singing in parts, this feel like classic JUDAS PRIEST too. The production is the variant, wider than a PRIEST production on album but never the less, very well executed by all performers.

"Ride Til We Die" feels like Blackie Lawless singing, lol, again a mix of NWOBHM and some old world 80's German Metal. Just found myself grinning, lol. The title and the main body riff could be from one of those Nordic brother bands, with a different vocal approach… "Wild Pack of Dogs" starts with a, well, wild pack of dogs…what else would you expect…and a type of 'Fast Eddie Clarke' riff ala, FASTWAY not MOTORHEAD. It’s hard to actually qualify this track. It's a little somewhere and nowhere, but I still liked it.

Next the first of the 2 covers, "Somewhere Up In The Mountains" by the NWOBHM band, MARQUIS DE SADE, it's ok, didn't move me but nothing wrong with it.. "Castle Of The Witch" is a mid-temped track. Again some nice guitar work and some tidy Wah wah action, chugging its way along with another very Norse feeling, but again, good production, loud, harmonious metal. NEW ORDER's "Rock N Roll Soldiers" comes next. Just hate the chorus, but you might not. Again as a cover I guess it's ok but other than being here coz the guys liked the track originally, I think was not required. For me anyway.

"I Embraced the Serpent and the Devil in the Dark" closes this album. I read somewhere something about MOTORHEAD. I guess maybe this is as close as you will get to them on this album but basically, they are nothing like MOTORHEAD. At times some old time TANK, but not really. The closer is as basic as it gets. The riff the arrangement so I think this project in total is not trying to hide their 1980's influences and they wanted to make a pure, classic feeling Metal album and I think they did a great job doing that. Fun although a little obvious, but played with great feeling and intent. But if I picked a none winner, it’s the final track. It just didn't work for me, almost but, not quite.

copas from http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/d_2/dragon-s-kiss_3.htm

Genre: Heavy Metal
Country: Portugal
Publishing year: 2014
Audio Codec: MP3
Format: tracks
Bitrate: 320 kbps
Duration: 40.03

Tracklist:
01. Barbarians of the Wasteland 04:35
02. Ride for Revenge 04:16
03. Ride Till We Die 04:36
04. Wild Pack of Dogs 04:59
05. Somewhere up in the Mountains (Marquis De Sade cover) 04:42
06. Castle of the Witch 06:05
07. Rock 'n' Roll Soldiers (The New Order cover) 04:09
08. I Embraced the Serpent and the Devil in the Dark 06:39

TKP

password : idfl.me