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Canada's Derailed cite some pretty well-known influences for their style of thrashy Traditional Heavy Metal including Metallica, Megadeth and Iron Maiden. I can definitely hear those bands on Derailed's latest release, Underground. "Stillborn" features some Megadeth-style riffing, the quiet guitar parts and soloing on "Step Into Hell" are 80s era Metallica and the 11-minute epic "Sinister" has the ups and downs of Iron Maiden's "To Tame a Land" or "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," though it doesn't sound like either. What is also evident in Derailed's sound, and it is something you wouldn't guess looking at the warrior wielding the bloody sword on the cover, is a distinct metalcore vibe. This can mostly be traced back to vocalist Johnie Sin who seems to prefer an angry, monotonous shout rather than sing, which the guy can actually do. He breaks out a clear voice at the beginning of "Step Into Hell" and on the fantastic acoustic closer "Warrior's Creed" that is, while nothing spectacular, well-suited to the music and far superior to anything else on Underground. Even the band photos have a little metalcore, especially bassist Greg Kristianson, who is looking down the fret board, which is pointing at the viewer, like he's sighting a rifle.

I found some worthwhile listening on Underground. The aforementioned "Warriors Creed" is something Manowar should be writing today. I wouldn't have minded if the whole album was acoustic with clean vocals like this track (no disrespect to Kristianson or drummer Terry Cornelson). If Derailed drops the angry, metalcore shouting and thrashy, modern guitar sound, they could be on to something. Right now, they are a little too close to the likes of Staind for my taste.