RAMMSTEIN were groundbreaking in so many ways (debatable according to some), but most notably in their desire to continue singing in their native tongue. This allowed the music to flow in a more natural way, and introduced what I call phonetic percussion to millions of English speaking Metalheads around the world. TIR also sing in their native Italian, and bravo! From the opening "Città In Fiamme"  it's obvious these guys have been together a long time, with Sergio Bonelli and Danilo Antonini sharing the limelight with their complimentary guitars working in harmony. Speaking of harmonies, the vocal harmonies found throughout the CD are great, with a very Middle Eastern sensibility to them. "Banche Armate" really showcases not only this but the range vocalist Giuseppe Cialone can issue on demand. Finger picking bassist Dino Gubinelli can keep up with anything drummer Piero Arioni throws at him, and that turns out to be quite a bit!

"Crazy Mama" needs no translation and is a fun fast song that has probably been sung in a multitude of other languages, but still about the same subject. "Mitira" is almost Prog in its composition, with complex changes in direction that make sense in a way unaccustomed to a more western ear. I loved every second of it. The sound of this album was excellent and the music was familiar yet new. The only production problem was the toms were a little too quite. Now the elephant in the room. The entire album was in Italian, which for me is fine. Had it been translated it would have lost so much of its rhythm and fluidity as to make it un-listenable. I applaud TIR in sticking to their native tongue and record Metal Shock as a testament to their integrity. I recommend it highly, and also find myself trying to sing phonetically, which ain't as easy as it sounds!