Storming out of Dresden, Germany with their full-length debut release of "Power Dive" hitting the market on December 2, 2022, ACID BLADE formed in 2019 as ANGEL BLADE before changing to their current moniker in 2021 and becoming Personal Records first 100% heavy metal act. Throwing their hat into the NWOBHM arena with influences from early US metal, thrash and punk, and adding well received reviews from their appearances at the Nukstock Festival, Leipzig's Heavy Rock Total Festival and as a support act on Kings of the Underground Tour, they are ready to show the world that ACID BLADE belongs with their amazing countrymen (ACCEPT, RAMMSTEIN, SCORPIONS, HELLOWEEN and KREATOR), and I've read comparisons to IRON MAIDEN, QUEENSRŸCHE and KROKUS, holy shit, I'm strapping on my seat belt before I listen to this CD because it sure sounds like I'll be blown away.

Opening with a little tease of space odyssey synthesizing on "Hot Bloods on the Loose" giving way to an immediate smash mouth scream that says we mean business.....metal business,  coupled with menacing riffs and a powerful solo, a nice start. The title track "Power Dive" starts out playfully with a somber bass and rhythm guitar taunt before bursting into a heavy, hard paced rocking melody of screams and frenzied dual guitar dogfight. A straight out nasty, meaty metal anthem on "King Killer" with Klay Mensana reaching the pinnacle with his high-pitched vocals aided by head numbing riffs and solos. "The Tomb of Khentika Ikheki" is by far the most intriguing and diverse song on the album, musically with rougher vocals and shrieks infused by monstrous shredding from Luke Lethal penetrating the demons of metal, and lyrically, by adding this spellbinding tale: "You're under my spell, water can't kill me, I cough it out to spit fire, I want to watch you suffer, I'm the damned Forevermore I rise I'm alive! And you are dead" The album ends strong with the last two songs "Moonless Night", an assaulting, raw song that summons the sprits of early QUEENSRŸCHE sound and feel, especially with the vocals, and ending with a very melodic, darker song on "Harpy on the Wing", slower moving tempo with gritty vocals and chunky riffs finishing off with a paralyzing solo, always end on a high, and they did.

A very well-done debut album from ACID BLADE, they pretty much hit on all cylinders. Klay Mensana delivers his vocal approach with versatility, intensity and balls. The dual guitar battles between Lethal and Goreman are dynamic and blazing, reminiscent of JUDAS PRIEST. This is a great start for this young band, so I'll keep my seat belt handy.