Artist: Midnight Idols
Title: Nightrulers
Type: Album
Label: Self-Released
Nightrulers is the second album from Seattle based metallers Midnight Idols and a very traditional sounding affair it is too. There are solos everywhere, soaring high-pitched vocals and plenty of musical references to the likes of Saxon, Axehammer, Fist, Accept and early Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. The use of analogue recording techniques has helped to capture a rough, vibrant, live sound and the production work of Kurt Bloch (Nashville Pussy etc) has lost none of the band’s obvious energy and enthusiasm. Midnight Idols are so steadfastly true to the old NWOBHM sound that there is absolutely nothing new to hear here – but then sometimes that can be a good thing. Personally speaking it is great to know that this kind of raw heavy metal is still around even if the band will doubtless receive criticism from some quarters for sounding dated and lacking originality.
The first four tracks – ‘Night Rulers’, ‘Torch The Sky’, ‘Nymphonomicon’ and ‘Hellfire’ – are all hi-octane, heads down metal attacks with little to choose between them; all very successful. The ridiculously named ‘Kockstruck’ takes things down to a mid-pace and injects just a drop of AC/DC into the general metal-ness of it all – not to mention some godawful lyrics about supernatural lovin’ machines. ‘Militia Of Sin’ picks the pace up again with some cool solos and plenty of energy before ‘Upon Cloven Hooves We Ride’ rounds things off in suitably rocking fashion.
This sort of good, solid metal would be fantastic live – headbanging, drinking and singing along - and a tour with Bullet would be awesome. Sitting at home and listening with a critical ear it’s a little harder to get over excited about Midnight Idols but this is still an enjoyable album.
http://www.myspace.com/idols
Chris Kee
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