SACRED STEEL - "BLOODLUST" (METAL BLADE)

 

Sacred Steel - the laughing stock of a few reviewers, subjects of wild ravings to others. Some people just can't stand the over-the-top singing by vocalist Gerrit Mutz. These people will probably be happy to know that Mutz has quite a few fewer of the high bits on Sacred Steel's third and latest offering, "Bloodlust".

"Bloodlust" is, in fact, a concept album that continues the story that was started on "Sword of the King" (from their debut, "Reborn in Steel"). As opposed to many concept albums, there aren't numerous mellower sections. In fact, only one of the songs ("Master of Thy Fate") has a few softer sections, though you can hardly call it a ballad.

The new album sounds more like their debut - I personally didn't think Bill Metoyer's rougher mix on "Wargods of Metal" was an improvement - but, like I said, the vocals are a little less extreme. I didn't mind the extremeness on the earlier albums at all, so to me the band has lost a bit of its unique identity.

Having said that, "Bloodlust" is filled to the gills with intense riffing, cool songs and all the good bits that we want in a modern retro-metal outfit. "Bloodlust" is an excellent album, once more full of "steel", "metal" and "hail". Lyrically it's still riddled with cliches but good fun really. And the story is rather good too.

RK

 

Written March 2000

 

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