It has been rough, always on the brink of exhaust but still with a will to go on fighting for survival. I have been acquainted with the two word term "lineup changes" from personal experience as a band member myself, but this here case is far more frustrating. EAR DANGER, on the verge of blow your speakers, a Dutch traditional Metal band, have been out there since 1981, yet their existence has been stung but a hefty share of personal shifts and role alterations, hardly a chance to sustain an active band. More or less it went on for nearly thirty years. Through those three decades of distress and anxieties, EAR DANGER were able to produce several demos, split release and a single, but not getting close to the blast off they do desired. In 2011 it happened, and their full length debut, "Full Blast At Last", was originally released, yet only on vinyl. Through Emanes Metal Records, two years later, the debut saw different release formats, made it available for folks to indulge upon. What started as a sob story, continued with a tad of misery, yet ended as a tremendous beginning.

EAR DANGER were there when NWOBHM started spreading like a disease throughout Europe, formulating new stances, upgrading the Rock efforts that crusaded the continent. Gladly, and unlike the majority of bands like MARTYR for instance, EAR DANGER remained loyal to the old British movement therefore savouring their music to sound accordingly. Fumed by British intonations and attributes, "Full Blast At Last" is a collection of tunes surveying the final stage of NWOBHM, crossing paths with first wave Speed Metal al'a SATAN as a comparison, and of course sticking adjacent to melodic traditional Metal welcoming the glories of TOKYO BLADE among the many. Listening to this album is like being a witness to a revamped sequence from long ago, a howling from the past that up until now wasn't heard of. Possibly the only thing that will lead you astray is the sound engineering that isn't exactly as albums back in the early 80s sounded yet a little modern. Nonetheless, whoever was in charge of the studio, knew how to articulate the band's vision of an overall sound that will suit their material.

Frankly, though being impressed by the overall efforts portrayed on this release and while also being a fan of NWOBHM, EAR DANGER made it a bit hard, and somewhat puzzling, for me to grasp and admire their songs. "Belzeebubs Friend" seemed like a fine opener with a few fine ideas of vintage times pursuing the movement's melodic ordeals, whereas "Assassin" and "The Battle" lightly started the fire to burn from within, unforgiving and on the attack with their musical and vocal solid qualities, but then came the boredom frenzy of the slow tempo aching of "Thousand Days in Sodom", which made me wish it was a cover for VENOM.

To my relief, as I predicted the worst, I was back to the hey days, holding my fist high in the air, back in 1983. "Hellish Wings" assembled the rampage of semi Speed Metal retrieval, setting the war cry, striking with great riffs, true British steel at work. "Children of the Sun", displayed an intro riffing that resembled ANTHRAX's old hit "Metal Thrashing Mad", yet continued as a swift catchy tune with well acclaimed chorus transfused by what seemed like duo layers of vocals, and also providing an exquisitely written lead guitar solo. "Burn At The Stake", forging the speeding bullet powers of MOTORHEAD along with hints of early SATAN, following "Court In Act". Like the others pretty straightforward, consisting of a great rhythm guitar main riff, not too artistic, but its flow is simply amazing, easy to handle and highly uplifting. "King of the Midnight Fire", could be regarded as album's epic moment, displaying an attractive main riff, enchanting acoustic verses conveying a legend, and rather diverse singing, foretelling the impending blast, right before its Metallic discharge. This is such a MAIDENish track, possibly the album's classic; actually it is an old song of the band's reincarnated for the debut. "Shock & Ave" valuing the final act of the war drums' marsh before afflicting with an old JUDAS PRIEST riffery that might remind some of you of the "British Steel" era, yet it developed into a crunchy speedster with an attitude, creating another notable track. As you can see, I was pretty eager about this release's persistence. EAR DANGER had what it takes to metaphorically improve their song writing skills by laying their law upon the right notes and hints of the past. Along with an imposing musicianship, "Full Blast At Last" is the new cheap in the renewed NWOBHM.