The lads in BLESSED BLACK (2017) call down by the river Cincinnati, Ohio (which river is that?) home in the good ole USA. These guys are deep in the tradition of the melodic metal-rock bands that once saturated dear Ohio, which means classic guitar tones are front and center, bass string riffing you can pound in a framing nail with and a lively potion of groovin' wah wah and doubled guitar lines, just like our father Michael Schenker intended for his all children (moi included) to play dem guitars.

"The White Wolf"  trumpets  the clarion call opener and sends a rousing instrumental bit built for a live show alá IRON MAIDEN or possibly NILE with the Egyptian gist. Well, it kinda sounds Egyptian to me but I'm from Jamaica. "The White Wolf" transitions perfectly into "The Black Gate" featuring the familiar spirit singing by Joshua Murphy. This dudes vocalizing reminds me of Blackie Lawless, I shit you not. His singing is honest, melodic and has a hell bent vocal character and delivery. This is what a man raised on a meaty diet of KISS and WASP sings like my droogs. Right on.

"Heavy is the Crown" licks up a MASTADON-like stew about royal responsibility while leaving nothing on the table ... this is a cool song. BLESSED BLACK has a way with a song chorus and you see this again on "The Shadows." "Arioch's Bargain" and "Finding the Limits" show that BLESSED BLACK has a rock-hard and satisfying connection to this type of music. The last song "Stormbringer" grooves in with Brad bringing the bass followed by Joshua and Chris close on the heels with their dual guitar thang pinned down by drummer Ray Bates yeoman duty rhythm. By the way, make sure to check out the cool release cover art for "Beyond the Crimson Throne."

I would wish that somewhere in this world bands like theirs has a gig every weekend and I hope that these cats will be playing there. Now send me a ticket dammit.