Real Heavy Metal, honest and true;  there are not many art forms on this earth that exist with such a level of purity. Starting with the giants in the 80's who fathered Heavy, Thrash and Power Metal, there are a select few who continue to purvey the very core of the music that all musicians know and love. USA's THUNDER TRIBE are one of these bands, thrashing out classic Metal in the vein of IRON MAIDEN and DIO. "War Chant" marks the band's debut recording of original material, and what a better way to paint a new picture of the old ways?

Personally, I cannot find a single song on the album that stands out as weak. The album kicks off with the rumbling "More Wicked Than Not" that hammers out a familiar, rolling, headbanging riff reminiscent of BLACK SABBATH. Now, no stranger to Metal am I, but I was truly shocked at the sheer virtuosity of the solo performed on this track, and how each of the members handled themselves. Even the bass, which is often lost on most traditional heavy metal under the weight of the drums, shows up as extremely prominent, and adds to the melodic hooks ever-present. This is a theme. The album's single and music video, "Part Of The Black" is another incredibly strong track that showcases the band's understanding and use of searing melodies, and also Michael Duncan's soaring vocal range. The title track, "War Chant" is an epic piece, which mixes the beautifully sown melodies that have graced our ears, and a bone-crushingly heavy main riff that lives up to the title. "Above The Blue" takes on a completely different direction towards that of a bluesy, acoustic ballad, to which Michael's voice is perfectly suited, reminding me strongly of Apollo Papathanasio of FIREWIND. "It's A Lie" was an interesting track to end the album on, much closer to a hard rock track, with a strangely happy-sounding, KISS-like verse riff, but quickly ascends to another blast of the guitars found on "War Chant".

I for one am much relieved to see these bands still exist in the US Metal scene, into which has crept much commercialism and lust for image. The men of THUNDER TRIBE care for no such things, and simply play heavy rockin' Metal.