DAGGER made their debut in 1984 on the Glam Metal scene and stayed strong until the 1990s. After some revamping as HIGH BRIDGE, the members went their separate ways. While the demos retain their 1980s sound, the production is clear. I can hear each instrument, note, and lyric.

"Enchant Me" begins with some lovely guitar work: a nice, melodic work with a good riff. The vocalist is smooth and clear. While he's a little back, it's not back enough to be a problem. The call and response in the chorus is sound and would be fun to participate in at a concert. The melody slow-down during the guitar solo keeps the song engaging.

"Call on the Brave" begins slower, with a single melody from the guitar before it becomes heavier and a down-tuned bass joins in. The guitar squeals and we're off to the basic melody. The singer is more operatic, and I adore the bells in the back near the chorus. I think the singer should be a little more forward in the production, but I can still hear what he's saying. The guitar solo soars with more bell ambiance and the crashing drums at the end was a nice, classic touch.

"Let's Party" is a standard jock song. The vocals are in a higher, almost falsetto range which gives it a fun feel. The call-and-response technique would have been another fun one to hear at a concert. Other than that, it's a simple song: not a lot of change in the melody, the solo isn't too fancy.

"Lasting Love" is their slow song and it begins with some nice instrumentation: strumming and squealing guitars in good harmony with each other. The vocals are more operatic but stick to a lower register. The reverberating vocals in the chorus give the song a great intensity and the hook amplifies the song's sorrowful mood.

The beginning of "Fight" reminds me of the riff in "Breaking the Law" by JUDAS PRIEST. The singing here is incredible, soft, smooth, but powerful. For the theme, I wish it were louder or more powerful, but as is, it's good. The highly charged guitar solo full of fast riffs and some sweeps. It's an anthemic song without the marching beat or the steady riff. It's more uplifting.

"Take Me" begins slowly, featuring fast guitar licks to precede a mid-tempo, but hard main melody. The notes in the vocal are soft and sound beautiful with the song. The falsetto in the chorus can get a little hokey after a couple repeats, though. The guitar solo changes things up in the middle with a new riff and drum rolls.

"Feeling" is the band's first song as High Bridge and already, it sounds more 1990s Alternative. It's the hollow drums, the down-tuned guitars and the more laid-back, surfer tone that create the sound. I could see myself partying to this song. The heaviness of this song is squarely in the Alternative Rock category with a little more bite to it. It's not bad, it's just not Metal.

"Her Eyes" is another song that travels in the 1990s Alternative direction. However, the melody is more like late 1980s Glam Metal. The vocal work is more like fast speak-singing and the melody and drum work reminds me a lot of "Counting Blue Cars" by DISHWALLA. The vocals are in a lower register and at times, the singing style mirrors Brit Pop. The solo, with the vocal hooks and the mid-tempo, laid-back style is also very Alternative.

The last songs are all similar in tone: 1990s Alternative but darker and edgier. "The Gift" goes more into Doom Metal territory with a low, heavy riffs. The vocals are stronger in the lower range for sure, and I enjoyed the power behind them in this song. "Irony" does the same thing, but a little faster, like it's trying to be another TYPE O NEGATIVE. I like the echoing call-and-response in the chorus of the song.

"Haunted" has the same darker tone, but it goes back to the band's Dagger days, but while combining the lower tones of 1990s music. It's a short song with some interesting syncopation between the drums and the guitars. "She Said" also harkens back to the 1980s as a more melodic, operatic slow song. The final High Blade song, "Addicted" sounds like a combination of the last two tracks and the 1990s Alternative style.

As the album progresses, I'm getting the sense that this band was trying to conform to the times to attract a label. As Dagger, they stuck to a popularized New Wave of British Heavy Metal style. However, once the 1990s hit and 80s Metal wasn't as popular (unless it was heavier), they changed their style to accommodate the times.

As High Bridge, they sound like an edgier, less nasally version of PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES, and they especially sound like harder Alternative numbers like FUEL or a less "yarling" version of BUSH. They would have been a good addition to the in-your-face Alternative Hard Rock in the 1990s.

Overall, I appreciate the clear production. Since everything is audible, I can enjoy the band's technique on every part rather than having to strain to hear the bass or vocals. It's a 1980s band I would've listened to and I wish I would have heard of them sooner. I also liked their more upbeat Alternative songs and I loved how their style fit into the songs I'd hear on the radio as a kid. The darker and edgier songs sounded less original and more like grasping at straws to try and make a deal happen.