Straight from the bands press release: FRENZY, the Heavy Metal and Comic Book fanatics band from Spain is finally back. Born in 2016 after STEELHORSE split up, Anthony Stephen and Angel Muñoz "Choco" started the band with shredder Luis Pinedo. "Lethal Protector" (2016), their first EP was highly acclaimed as one of the best releases by a newcomer in Europe, taking them to play in festivals like Pounding Metal Fest, Heavy Sound in Belgium and the Heavy Metal Maniacs Festival in The Netherlands. Their first full length "Blind Justice" (2019)was another success including many more live dates and countries to be visited including the Harder Than Steel Fest in Germany, South Bangers and Mediterranean Metal Maniacs. After a successful European tour at the end of 2019 with their fellow countrymen, HITTEN, FRENZY had everything lined up just right, a new album in the works, great opportunities on the horizon... and then 2020 reared its ugly head. Just as we were finally emerging from the COVID crisis in late 2021, with the new album already recorded and plans for the release were in progress... tragedy struck the FRENZY camp when guitar player Luis Pinedo suffered a major motorcycle accident. But, as you all know, Heavy Metal never surrenders. After a long rehabilitation, he is now ready to play live again and the band is releasing the new album, titled "Of Hoods and Masks" (release date April 20, 2023), a new milestone featuring 9 tracks, 7 of them are a conceptual approach inspired by the story of the graphic novel Watchmen. The only comics books I'm familiar with are ARCHIE, JUGHEAD and DENNIS THE MENACE, so this should be an interesting listen.

Forget the opening track "One Minute Closer", it just sounds like the band warming up, but things heat up on "The Doomsday" with over the speed limit guitar licks over a mixture of rough and clean scream vocals blended with hard, but not overpowering metal rhythm. "Where Is The Joke" is a ride back in time to pure 80's NWOBHM with nothing we all haven't heard a million times before, but it's energetic and raucous enough to be a fun listen. Apoplectic vocals provide a simmering melodic twist on "Betrayal In Cold Blood", a true graphic novel that plays out right before our ears, beneath the mysterious backdrop of enthralling and sinister melody creating a tormented song of debauchery. I love when metal bands cover pop songs, and on "Living In Oz", they totally destroyed it (in a good way), they might not be as pretty as the original artist RICK SPRINGFIELD, but they sure put their metal stamp on this one.

A well-done effort indeed by FRENZY, they offer a great mix of traditional and old school metal, adding plenty of frenzied (pun intended) guitar work, wildly ranged vocals and crafty, galloping bass. I could name a dozen or so metal bands that would compare favorably to these guys, but since the liquor store closes in five minutes and I'm out of beer, I must quickly finish up and simply state, this is an enjoyable album. FRENZY has a little sleaze, a little fantasy, a little attitude and a lot of headbanging...well, it's Miller time.