Heavy Metal allows bands to use different concepts and everything that one can think on the formula, because it’s a search for something that can call the attention of the fans. It’s nothing to be labeled as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, it’s just a feature that can be used as a toll to reach an objective after all. And using the concept of a band based on the ‘The Shedderverse’ (in words of the band, it’s a ‘a Web3 native, community-driven entity with dynamic NFTs’, or anything like that) comes THE SHREDDERZ, a fictional quintet (no one can say that it is or not) with their first album, “The Shredderz”. Leaving aside the ideas and concepts, the group (maybe a side project of known musicians that prefer to ride their true identities) plays a modern mix between classic US Metal with Power Metal, with precious melodies and a solid musical work (their music is take extremely seriously), with a refined and elegant technical approach (without exaggerations), excellent clean vocals and everything else on its due place.

And their musical work is catching, rich on excellent melodic hooks, many rhythmic shifts and everything else. And the album isn’t heard to hear and like at first, because the band depicts a very good taste on each song, creating the right ambiences to hook fans at first hearing. The sound quality depicted on “The Shredderz” is very good, indeed, putting things on a level of clarity that enables the hearers to understand what’s being played and expressed by the quintet. And to improve things, there are a lot of guests on the album: Derrick Green (SEPULTURA) and Dan Lilker (BRUTAL TRUTH, S.O.D., NUCLEAR ASSAULT and many more) on spoken words, and the shreds of the six strings heroes and heroines Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT), Gary Holt (EXODUS, SLAYER), George Lynch (former DOKKEN guitarist and many more), Dave Davidson (REVOCATION), Jessica Pimentel (ALEKHINE’S GUN and BRUJERIA), Brandon Ellis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER), Tainá Bergamaschi and Jéssica di Falchi (both of CRYPTA).

The songs of the album are all excellent, depicting that experienced musicians are behind it. But for the better presentations, pay attention to “Shredderz” (it bursts out from the speakers with excellent guitar solos, and soon becomes a solid Heavy/Power Metal song with strong riffs and remarkable solos), “The Beast” (the tempos aren’t as fast as on the previous song, but it shows a wonderful and weight work, especially due the solid rhythms played by bass guitar and drums), “Stonedrider” (these melodic vocals laid upon a heavy instrumental sheath with excellent amazing shreds are amazing), “Iron Storm” (impossible to hear and to not bang your heads), “You Are the Devil” (a more melodic emphasis is given on this one, but always keeping the weight on high levels), “Sins of the Valley” (another melodic blow in the face, with a touch of Hard Rock in some moments), “Thunderpack” (an extremely melodic song with faster tempos inherited from Power Metal, with excellent vocals and sharp shreds of the guitars on the riffs and solos), and “Birth of the Wicked”.

Again: THE SHREDDERZ seems to be a side project, but after listening to the album, you can hope that “The Shredders” will be the first of many releases of the band.