WOW! Another insane act from Italy like ALLTHENIKO, INSANE, AXEVYPER, or ASGARD who heed the speed metal command! With these sacred rites being performed by IRON JAWS, clearly when it comes to raging '80s Metal Blade bands, these predators of power show no signs of ignorance. Whether it be HIRAX, EXXPLORER, ARMORED SAINT, SAVAGE GRACE, LIZZY BORDEN, HELSTAR, or their heaviest influence in HALLOW'S EVE who they attempt to cover with "Metal Merchants", I suppose that just being louder is never enough.

This is their debut for Pure Steel Records. However, I have not heard their first album "Louder Is Not Enough" on Metal bound, but I read that they attempted "Violence & Force" by EXCITER. Perhaps Metal Dave was not as strong of a vocalist as Andrea "Mixy" Finotti, but I feel that on this their sophomore outing; the witch hunters have upped the ante. Two albums clearly come to mind as I play this retro offering of flames, sparks and old school Metal: "Hideous" by KRANK and "Torture Knows No Boundary" (EP) by HERETIC. I must also add ABATTOIR - "The Only Safe Place" and "Death & Insanity" by the aforementioned HALLOW'S EVE as "No Speed Limit" reminds me of the two-fold-title track, "Witch Hunters" evokes "Night Of The Knife" and "Shoot The Dead" slowly sips from the "Goblet Of Gore".

I so celebrated all of these treasured releases in my formative years, and it is cool to revisit them through the overzealous over insanity of these speed freaks. Roberto "Master Of Metal" Quaglia may handle all guitar work, but like Bobby Gustafson on the early OVER KILL albums, or even Tony Gattis he has a firm grasp on the situation. I definitely detect a homage to TENSION or WARDOG with the speed violence experienced on "Battlefield". I wonder if Juan Garcia and Steve Gaines may have also contributed to his choice of style, and speed picking as well.

Fans of PARAGON, SACRED STEEL, STORMWARRIOR, SOLITAIRE may get a kick out of "Speed Metal Command" and "H.B..M.B." (Heavy Bleeding Metal?). "Nuclear Disaster" has a bit of that EXE "Fatally Wounded" feel, as taken by force from their masterpiece "Stricken By Might". Although it does sound like someone is getting a tattoo between solos. Obviously, HOLY TERROR is another influence as evidenced by the bonus tracks and re-recordings of the fast and loud versions of "VX" and "Predator". Someone definitely has been listening to "Mind Wars" in the studio, and maybe even EVIL DEAD's "Annihilation Of Civilization" or LAAZ ROCKIT's "Know Your Enemy".

Overall, I would recommend this for any advocate of that gritty, hideous Heavy Metal havoc style popularized by RAZOR, DISSECTION (CANADA), PILE DRIVER, ORIGINAL SIN (U.S.) (which like "Nightmare Theater" by EXORCIST features all members of VIRGIN STEELE) or any of those other excellent acts who overall sound even better on vinyl or cassette.