Keeping the 'retro' Thrash typhoon (hitting back hard nowadays) aside for awhile, this is a proper compilation for any metalhead willing to check out what's going on with new bands playing traditional Metal. In a different angle, this CD can serve as a 2008 homage paid to the region in charge of (maybe) the most honest Metal genre ever to emerge worldwide: the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. Either way, the critical point is if the average less-than-30-years-old fan is really interesting in digging hard for 'retro' stuff, in an era full of wanna-be bands/sounds. If (hopefully) so, Heavy Metal Killers can serve as a representative combo.
Flirting with statistics: the European continent holds 80% of the musicians with Central/North America is grabing the remaining 20%. Four out of ten bands are from Sweden, 60% of them have pressed at least one vinyl release while only one or two behold just a demo release. Need to know something more? Nah...
Holland's POWERVICE reveals a Dianno-fronted IRON MAIDEN profile with identical tempos and vocals, while Sweden's RAM shall remind you a mix of JUDAS PRIEST's spirit in the late 70s/early 80s and RAVEN's primal lunacy. Canada's CAULDRON expose a primitive sound in a more melodic (for their standards) vibe relevant to the likes of WILDFIRE, TRESPASS and late QUARTZ while Sweden's ENFORCER speed things up in the vein of WEAPON, JAGUAR and TOKYO BLADE the same time that UK's H.O.D. (a kinda peculiar companion for this combo? - the deal with the Speed/Thrash field in their so far discography) smartly brings out the chainsaw in a WARFARE/TYSONDOG/ANGELWITCH/AVENGER way.
Sweden's PORTRAIT act evil/mystique guesting WITCHFYNDE's/DIAMOND HEAD's occult and '70s' JUDAS PRIEST's sharpness whilst UK's CROWNING GLORY evoke remembrance from the 'mid-80s' IRON MAIDEN, SAXON and PERSIAN RISK releases and Ireland's CELTIC LEGACY defensibly offer samples from THIN LIZZY's undisputed yet underrated legacy. Mexico's VOLTAX  step on the IRON MAIDEN principals and Sweden's IN SOLITUDE preserve a parallel spirit while also revealing their BLACK SABBATH beliefs.
'British' comparisons were only used above, on purpose: the NWOBHM movement virtually acted as the main source for each and every Metal genre that followed. Of course, all bands featured here boast a more wide range of back-to-the-roots Heavy Metal songwriting/sound (Heavy, Power, doom, Epic, Speed). All in all, Earache Records presents a more than interesting sample of what's going on today in the traditional Metal sound. To condemn such actions in defense of the progression in music or new sounds for the new generation blah blah blah means you were invited to the Metal family listening to e.g. EDGUY or SOILWORK. For those who preserve the (mainly) British Metal flame and - most of all - for those feeling let down by today's Metal standards, Heavy Metal Killers is a good chance to both recall and discover. Don't miss it.