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And another band paying homage to the early 80s/NWOBHM throws their hat into the ring, Italy's Sign of the Jackal. Like Pioneers Girlschool and Bitch, Sign of the Jackal feature female vocals, courtesy of front woman Laura Coller. There is no smooth Gothic or angelic operatic singing, just gritty shouts that are perfect for the songs on the band's full-length debut, Mark of the Beast. Coller leans hard into the microphone and delivers her lines with the conviction of someone trying to kick your ass through the speakers. The rest of the band attacks their instruments with the same wild abandon as Raven or Venom. Their sound, though, has more of the Hard Rock melodies played by bands like Loudness and Witch Cross, while still remaining undeniably Heavy Metal. I can't hold up any one or two tracks as standouts but there are absolutely no fillers and the album moves along at a brisk pace. Sign of the Jackal aren't afraid to let the tempos run on the speedy side, always a plus for me, though there are no less than four spoken word intros and that gets old quickly.

If you are in to bands like Enforcer, Striker, Katana, White Wizzard, et al, you will need to pick up a copy of Mark of the Beast. An ass-kicking from Laura Coller awaits if you don't.