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Lady Beast II from Pittsburgh's Lady Beast is, naturally, their second album, originally released in 2015 on a small, local label and is now getting a fresh vinyl re-release courtesy of Dying Victims Productions. The band's trad metal sound is here, as it would be on the subsequent Vicious Breed which I reviewed back in 2017, with some tasty riffs and thundering bottom end. The songwriting is perhaps a little less inventive and the playing and performances not quite as tight as on Vicious Breed. The vocal lines are a bit clunky in spots, nothing egregious, but noticeable on tracks like "Blind the Runes" and "Heavy Metal Destiny." Still, if you like early Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, it is hard to imagine you not finding plenty to enjoy on Lady Beast II as that raw, energetic heavy metal sound comes through loud and clear. I'm hoping for continued improvement from Lady Beast (which reminds me, I need to find a copy of The Vulture's Amulet from 2020, which I somehow missed) as despite the rough edges on Lady Beast II, they seem poised to take the next step.