1980's Power Trio, KILLER from Belgium has had great success with their previous six albums and seem to have continued to create yet another solid Heavy Metal album with their latest release "Monsters of Rock".

Having researched their background and seen how much of a loyal following KILLER have, my expectations for this album increased, but I wasn't disappointed in any way. They stay true to the classic old school Heavy Metal genre, embracing heavy riffing and steady drum work. However, they certainly have elements of MOTORHEAD, particularly in relation to "Deaf, Blind and Dumb". It seems that vocalist, Shorty, has the ability to alter his voice to fit the overall style of the rest of the track. Although they should appeal to a Heavy Metal fan, I liked the elements of different genres hidden within their tracks. For example, "Making Magic" contained some seriously Bluesy rhythms and guitars, upholding that slow, chugging pace. Despite the incorporation of various genres, it is clear where their loyalty lies. Fourth track "Back to the Roots" embraces the lyrical theme of staying true to the classic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal bands. The track I liked most was "Firestorm", a well-written track with changing rhythms and hooks that had me tapping my feet straight away! I believe there is a reason to these generically named tracks as it's reassuring to see old school Heavy Metal on a new release, emphasising the importance of the roots of this genre.

Although I thought that this album was unnecessarily long, as it could have axed a few tracks such as "Dangerzone" and "Fake", I still thought that "Monsters of Rock" was a pretty good effort at bringing back that old school Heavy Metal sound that influenced many of the bands we love and listen to today!<