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In the wake of bands like Crystal Viper and Battle Beast, Pittsburgh, PA gives us Lady Beast, a group that's been around for a number of years but flew under the radar until Cruz del Sur picked them up for their third album, Vicious Breed. Stomping, fist-pumping Heavy Metal is at the top of Lady Beast's calling card, steeped in the melody and twin-guitar sound of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. As the band name implies, vocals are handled by the talented Deborah Levine, who digs into each song and belts out the lyrics with gusto. The album opens with the song "Seal the Hex" and I can easily envision the crowd shouting, "SEAL...THE HEX!!" with fists in the air when it comes up in Lady Beast's set as there's such beauty in its simplicity. The songwriting is a bit uneven and by the middle of the album a lot of repetition, both in terms of vocal lines and riffs, reduces the enjoyment but the album closes out on a high note with "Vicious Breed." This song crackles with electricity and shows what Lady Beast are capable of. Vicious Breed is a mix of good and great and if they can shore up the songwriting for the next one, Cruz del Sur and the fans will have a real winner on their hands.