It has been 10 long years, but Japan's SATANICA is back! Resurrection Of Devil's Spirit is the fourth full-length album from the band. Their first three releases gave you great insight into who their collective musical heroes are with titles like Knights In Satanic Service (KISS), After Christ, The Devil Comes (AC/DC) and We Are Satan's Preachers (W.A.S.P.). Released July 24, 2020 on Iron Shield Records, SATANICA's latest release is another nod to their idols. Their sound and image are a great fit for each other.

Right off the bat, "Resurrection" comes out swinging. With a killer riff, the song bolts out of the gate, but takes time for a melodic dual guitar lead before going into alternating solos. Classic Metal at its' finest. The real impressive thing about this is when you realize the drummer is hammering away... and singing lead. "Liar" has a more melodic start with the riff, but don't think you are getting a power ballad. This song will still kick you in the gut. After that, "Black Widow" comes along and traps you in its' delicious guitar web.

"Kamikaze" is the lone instrumental on the record. This song highlights the talents of each individual member of the band. The guitarists take turns, but also allow time for both bass and drums to shine through. I hear more IRON MAIDEN in this tune than WASP or KISS, but I have absolutely no issue with this. This instrumental is a good half-way point song for this album. Dead center on the record, it splits a fast-paced record with a mid-tempo rocker (for these guys) that gives you a chance to catch your breath.

The second half of the disc begins with "Thunderstorm" and bolts through "Dark Star" and "Like A Fire" to bring you to the conclusion, "Deal With The Devil". Again, it is impossible to miss the fantastic guitar work. The bass guitar is understated for most of this record. That does not mean it is hard to hear or not noticeable. It is really solid bass that fits the tone and tempo really well. K. Z. Behemoth does what a bassist should, lay down an unshakable foundation. Ozzie Alastor and Shee Lipps treat that foundation with the utmost respect with their playing.

As impressive as the bass and guitar is, Ritti Danger still manages to stand out front, even from behind the drum kit. He doesn't overshadow the other musicians, but he does really manage to play some complicated drum rhythms and handle the vocals. While easy to do in separate sessions in a studio, I'm betting he can do this live as well. I would absolutely love to see these guys live and watch how this band interacts with other on stage.