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Nuclear Blast [Release date 26.05.23]
Elegant Weapons may be releasing their debut album, however, the album’s line-up is a bit of a metal supergroup. It features Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner, along with fellow Priest band mate, drummer Scott Travis. Then on vocals we have Rainbow and MSG’s Ronnie Romero and Rex Brown, of Pantera fame, on bass. Travis and Brown have contributed to the album but have since been replaced in the band’s permanent line-up by Uriah Heep bassist Dave Rimmer and Accept drummer Christopher Williams. In a further Priest connection, Andy Sneap (Priest’s other guitarist) produced the album.
Opener ‘Dead Man Walking’ is a well done melodic metal, nothing earth shattering. It is the next track, ‘Do Or Die’, where the album really takes off. A nice bit of fast paced metal with a hint of Dio and a rapid fire rhythm section. Would have made a better opener as much more upbeat and air guitar friendly!
‘Ghost Of You’ is a proper rock ballad complete with a stunning guitar solo. One things for sure, Richie Faulkner is a talented guitarist yet he never ruins a song by too much soloing.
Their version of UFO’s ‘Lights Out’ is good fun with Faulkner in fine Schenker mode on the solos. The title track and ‘Dirty Pig’ have a cool Sabbath vibe to them, with the latter sounding like Dio fronting Priest. That said, Elegant Weapons do have their own sound and groove which shines through on ‘White Horse’.
Faulkner certainly chose well enlisting Ronnie Romero as he has a classic hard rock meets metal vocal, full of depth and melody. On more than a few occassions he sounds like the much missed Steve Lee of Gotthard, none more so than on ‘The Blind Leading The Blind’.
Elegant Weapons have a metal beast of an album on their hands here. Perfect for any fans of Priest, Ozzy, Sabbath and Accept. It is modern sounding metal and production with a classic metal foundation. The good thing is this band isn’t just studio based but will be out and about on the road around Europe in June and at the UK’s Steelhouse festival at the end of July. ****
Review by Jason Ritchie
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