A debut full-length can rightly be one of a band's proudest achievements, no matter the breadth of their career, and I imagine such is the case with Germany Heavy Metal newcomers STALLION. Hot on the trail of their blazing EP, "Mounting the World", "Rise and Ride" is the band sticking their middle fingers at the industry and playing Heavy Metal the way it is meant to be played, with the attitude it is meant to be played with.

The title track is a soaring, screeching fireblazer of melody and hard-hitting riffs, harkening back to the good JUDAS PRIEST albums. You'll immediately notice vocalist Pauly's sensibilities for incredibly high-register vocals, that he delivers to startling effect in the track's choruses. If you're not in the mood yet, replay the track until you damn well are, because "Wild Stallions" is there to do exactly that. Easily one of the album's most aggressive and technical tracks, it instantly entrenched itself as my favorite. Teetering on the edge between the spinning meatgrinders of Speed and Thrash, this track does not once take a breather. Riff after pummeling riff is executed with precision and, combined with the vocals and blissful leads, you'd think you were listening to an OVERKILL prodigy, a band of which the vocals remind me greatly.

"Watch Out" stood out with its interestingly different and otherwise unorthodox arrangement. The kind of grooving jig and jive of this drum-heavy track can be most commonly found on older IRON MAIDEN tracks, and of countless bands drowned in the wave that covered most of the NWOBHM. Another favorite, it provides a new and refreshing facet for the band's sound, and explores many more rhythmic and melodic progressions, the latter of which is evoked beautifully in a stellar lead section. "The Devil Never Sleeps" churns up the will to headbang with startling efficiency; the bleeding of the clean guitars in the initial opening suddenly gives way to a crushing array of riffage caught halfway between MEGADETH and BLACK SABBATH. The track only picks up from here, throwing out spastic outbursts of speed and expletive guitar scorchers.

Considering the swath of classic Speed that was lost in the 80's and 90's, it's refreshing to hear a new, "classic", that plays traditional heavy metal whilst bringing back to a forefront, many of those classic elements, that are often overlooked for modern-day industry gimmicks.