WARZAW is a relatively new band on the scene from Norway. Formed in 2020, these talented musicians came together to create "energetic, riff-packed music reminiscent of the glory days of 80s heavy metal" per their bio. This is their debut album. True to their word, it's a feast of traditional metal for the ears and draws on various other influences. Warzaw isn't shy about letting their listeners know who they are and what they're about. Case in point: the opening song is a textbook case of "what you see is what you get". The concept is lyrically straightforward and so is the music. The melody speeds along for nearly three minutes, treating the listener to a fast-paced biker anthem that just lays out what the album is and what it's about.

The second song has a nice, tongue-in-cheek title that I can't help but appreciate: "The Second Banana". It appears like they couldn't decide what to name their second track, so the fit the title into the hook and went with it. The song, like the last one, is another hard-hitting melody that has its place in a roadhouse basement concert, complete with gritty vocals and a wall of sound. Parts of the song remind me of heavier OZZY OSBOURNE tracks amped up to eleven and the guitar solo features good sweeps and nice constructions.

Although most of the songs are simple onslaughts of traditional metal, two stand out. The fourth track has a second movement, and the fifth track is a slower, but heavy ballad. The sixth picks up as a slower, more soaring song than the first few tracks. "Spitfire" is another hellfire anthem that goes with the theme of the first two tracks. "Spitfire" also has a well-constructed, varied guitar solo that's enticing to listen to. "Swampland" has a slower tempo on the outset, so it was a standout from the first guitar lick. However, it's a wasted opportunity once the vocals come on. They get better as the song progresses, but they were a little nasally in the beginning.

However, the penultimate song is incredibly unique for the album and piqued my interest. Instead of a traditional speed metal song, "Mind Eraser" takes notes from doom metal, slowing down their original pace and dressing down their song into an eerie ballad reminiscent of the apocalypse. The subtle harmonies in the chorus are a nice touch as is the anthemic guitar solo featuring a heavy, steady beat.

The album closes with "Switchblade Renegade" which has some nice variety in the intro, but when the vocals came on, I was underwhelmed. As a closer, it's an engaging song, but only for the variety it provides throughout the track. That said, most of the songs sound the same on this album. If you're into the sounds of thrashing, speeding traditional metal that reminds you of speeding motorcycles, this is the band for you. I would still recommend listening to this album in a mix so it doesn't become monotonous. However, while the songs all have a similar sound, they're well produced and well composed. Thus, if traditional motorcycle music is your bag, this is a good album to check out.