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Review: Conquest of Steel - Conquest of Steel
Conquest of Steel
www.conquestofsteel.co.uk
Conquest of Steel

Label: No Face Records
Year released: 2004
Duration: 33:09
Tracks: 9
Genre: Heavy Metal

Rating:
3/5


Review online: February 13, 2007
Reviewed by: Bruce Dragonchaser
Readers' Rating
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Rated 3.25/5 (65%) (4 Votes)
Review

Conquest of Steel are to heavy metal what independent film is to cinema; pretentious, uninhibited and dearth of restriction. Which when blended in a form easy enough to swallow, this combination can prove both liberating and rewarding. Whether these British metal behemoths fall into that category remains to be decided. Following in the footsteps of Manowar, Majesty and Judas Priest, Conquest of Steel's first release is a heady collection of fast, pulsating heavy metal anthems written by old-school pub metallers for old school pub metallers. Production values aside, this is indeed a sturdy release with some musically strapping tracks - double bass wielding opener and live favourite "Only the Devil Can Stop us Now" for one – but all in all, nothing truly magical.

However, the riffs are there; guitarists DD Danger and Diesel Dave are great axemen, bringing to mind Iron Maiden idols Dave Murray and Adrian Smith on more than one occasion. That, in fact is a pretty good comparison; particularly the "Wrathchild"-like "In Victory or Death", lifting blistering harmonies and twin-solos out of the hat like slutty bunny rabbits. Dan Durrant's vocals are rather weak but his confident approach is commendable nonetheless. Lyrically it's pretty much the loincloth-wearing-mead-swelling patter you'd expect, although the band do seem to have more than a penchant for a certain medieval-dominatrix; check out this scorcher: You are pure ecstasy, love and lust unite, you'll see – when I feel your leather heels walking up and down on me. - Bam!

The production is egregious, and it's pretty evident a click-track was neglected during the recording; but when trying to stick down bangers like "Can't Stop the Metal" and the fabulous "Bitch of Steel", you can't expect them not to increase speed as the metal intensity builds. I mean, isn't that a pub band tradition?

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