In the beginning of this Old School Metal trend (late 90s, early 2000s), many bands saw themselves as ‘avengers’ against the new ways instead of bands that prefer to have a musical work based on old formulas. No, there’s nothing wrong on doing that, but it’s dangerous, because no one can live off of what is already done, what means that a band must contribute with something different in any way. And the trio GALLOWER, from Poland, here with its latest full-length, “Vengeance & Wrath”, needs to improve in some aspects. The trio unleashes a form of Black/Thrash Metal based on a formula usual for the genre on the turn of the first to the second half of the 80s, or in other words, it’s based on the early works of SODOM (especially on “Persecution Mania” days), DESTRUCTION, KREATOR, SLAYER (on “Show No Mercy” / “Haunting the Chapel” era) and others on this era, as well as inheriting influences from early Speed Metal acts.

No, it’s not bad at all, but needs improvements to sharp their music and to become not one good name in the middle of thousands of other good names. The main problem of “Vengeance & Wrath” lies on its sonority. Filip Kłobukowski oriented things to have an 80’s approach to try to show some organic feeling, so the band’s music is full of mold and using ‘hollow’ instrumental tunes that make things hard to themselves to express their songs as deserved. A tip: look for Joel Grind or Sacha Laskow to work as producer due their knowledge to record Old School Metal, but giving it a needed refreshed view.

Musically, as said above, the trio has a lot of talent to be turned into music, as heard on “Aftermath/Protector's Militia”, “The Revelation”, “Relentless Retaliation”, “Bubonic Breath”, “March of the Carmine Cloaks”, “Prophecy of the Seven”, “The Dead Despise the Living”, “Vengeance & Wrath” and “Demonic Ascent”, with good vocals (that can be better on the next time), charming guitar riffs based on NWOBHM/MOTÖRHEAD, and a simple and heavy work on bass guitar and drums (because their rhythms aren’t too complex). It’s not bad, but it can be better in the future.

Maybe “Vengeance & Wrath” is a good example that Old School Metal can’t be an ideology, but just a way of playing Metal. And GALLOWER just needs a better producer on the next time.