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Seattle, Washington's Q5 released a couple of albums back in the mid-80s that generated some minor buzz (generally good for the debut, generally bad for the follow-up) then split up. Fast-forward to 2009 and many original members gathered together to resurrect the band for a festival appearance and the seeds were sown for what is now the band's third album, 2016's New World Order. The new album is very much in the mold of the debut and features a mix of NWOBHM, "traditional" Metal and U.S.-style "party rock" songwriting. Songs like "One Night in Hellas" which easily has the best riff on the album and the title track hearken back to the early output of Saxon and Iron Maiden. The lyrics deal with more "Metal" themes and there is a weight to the vibe they give off. On the other hand, "We Came Here to Rock" has a title that says it all. Along with similarly simplistic tracks like "The Right Way" and "Get Next to You" Q5 opts for a simpler, "gonna get the girl, gonna rock out" formula that is more in line with mid-80s Krokus or AC/DC. It's all played well with the musicians acquitting themselves well, especially original guitarist Rick Pierce (along with newcomer Dennis Turner) and original vocalist Jonathan K. who proves he still has a great set of pipes after 30 years. Like some other bands that began in the 80s (Raven, Belgium's Killer), Q5 has come up with over an hour of music and quite frankly there is some filler material that could have been left off with no detriment to the album.

It's great to see one of my favorite obscure bands from the early days come back and release an album that adds to their legacy rather than detracts from it. I understand it won't be for everyone, walking so close to the Hard Rock line as it does, but damn, every time "One Night in Hellas" comes on my fist is in the air. Fans of early Saxon, Iron Maiden, Krokus, etc. should definitely check out New World Order.