When I first heard about this venture, in an instant I imagined a bash of screaming banshees, shattering everything in their path with sonic boom screams of devastating hell. Well, we are still talking about music and not mainly screaming just for kicks. Put into work by CAGE's mainman, Sean Peck, aka "The Hell Destroyer", alongside his own band and the supergroup DEATH DEALER, the guy gathered two of my vocal heroes, Tim "Ripper" Owens (ex-JUDAS PRIEST / ex-ICED EARTH / BEYOND FEAR) and Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin (JAG PANZER / TITAN FORCE / SATAN'S HOST) to produce a true Metal phenomenon titled THE THREE TREMORS. Released through an own label under the moniker Steel Cartel, the band issued its self-titled debut album, reminding the worldwide Metal scene that pure Heavy Metal can only be generated righteously from a steel armored heart.

No question about it, basing the foundation of the THE THREE TREMORS on the CAGE lineup was one of the better decision made. I had the pleasure of watching these guys at work live in one of the first THE THREE TREMORS shows, and I believe that the term prolific is highly suitable to describe each of the musicians' skills and efforts. Though the rhythm section killed it, I mainly enjoyed the guitar work by both axemen, Garcia and Trask, such an 80s twin attack blaze that made a major impact on the entire release, finding that thin red line between IRON MAIDEN and JUDAS PRIEST driven riffery, defying the rules with captivating melodies and soloing displays of power. I have always been a sucker for riffs, especially if both are heavy and melodic; therefore, I was nailed where I sat.

On towards the main course, to the vocals that made the album an enticer, a crippling blaster. It was amazing to listen how three voice patterns intertwined so well, three high pitchers that didn't sound like a mess in mix, but rather natural, as if they actually recorded in the same place, at the same time. Of course, Mr. Garcia, as producer of the album, deserves the credit for the studio work for making it happen, however, one cannot deny that the voice blending felt extraordinary. Furthermore, throughout the record, none of the vocalist outshined the other, yet positively influenced on each vocalist's performance and presentation of his role in the songs. In general, the tones completed each other, ascertaining a strong standpoint in Traditional Metal.

Songwriting wise, there is nothing less than straightforwardness and bludgeoning destruction, THE THREE TREMORS spared no one, cultivating on the details that made classic era of Heavy Metal so great, in particular being far reaching, memorable and right into the basis of your skull. The songs, in structure, are slightly high in the ladder than your average basic bread and butter tunes that were a major part of the golden age, allowing the listener to experience other dimensions of the music. If there is something that I also enjoyed is the dangerous meeting of NWOBHM and early US Power / Speed Metal. Surely that it wasn't my first time, however, like I always say, when done right, it feels as if it is a first introduction to a discovery.

"Lust Of The Blade" simply chopped me in half, a perfect song that may as well summarize the 80s powerful impact in less than five minutes of play. Enough said. "The Cause" drew attention right on with its main riff and speedy combustion, without being overly memorable, it defied with its musicianship. "Fly Or Die", historical and epic, remembering the American heroes of WWII in Pearl Harbor, 1941. Honestly, I expected it to be a slower going song, similar to the stuff that ICED EARTH has been doing with their epics, nonetheless, a speed kamikaze attack was imminent, crushing with an amazing vocal performance and blasting riffs. Continuing with the epics, "Wrath Of Asgard", was exactly how I imagined it to be, could easily be a sing-along, carving its DIO influences all over along with the band's electrical charges of fury. Please also pay close attention to the memorial for the gods of Metal in "King Of The Monsters", deadly mid tempo "Sonic Suicide" and the final crushing blow of "The Three Tremors".

A splendid vision was put into work, feverishly executed, ending with a strong record. THE THREE TREMORS demonstrated that pure Heavy Metal is there to stay, on forward with the revival and thank you for the service to Metal music.