Take a second and think back to the time you started listening to metal. Try not to dwell on the fact that Dana from 8^th grade didn't want you and consider instead what it was in the music that appealed to you after the incident. For me at least, it wasn't the complexity of the music or the quality of the ideas and production (these came later), it was the wild, straightforward aspect of the music - straight to the point, honest, and completely devoid of irony in any way. Swedish heavy metal band WITCH BLADE is a study in this aspect of the music.

"Oskuldernas Eld", as a record, is about as straightforward as it gets: energetic riffs, driving rhythms and shouted vocals. Unadulterated Rock 'n' Roll to the very core. The guitars bear that unmistakable "we're gonna have some fun tonight" feel that's a trademark of eighties-style Heavy Metal, with fast-paced energy-filled rhythms and blazing pentatonic solos.

The vocalist is also rather typical of the genre - more power and enthusiasm than technical ability, but it works great - along with the guitar sound and frankly rather low production quality it brings a sort of pre-Dickinson IRON MAIDEN feel to it. The fact that the lyrics are all in Swedish is pretty cool in that the band retains what is theirs, but on the flip side it gives anyone not fluent in the language a hard time understanding the message. On the downside, I find the drum department of the band rather lacking - more effort should be put in that direction, I think, as it will life the band up more than any one thing I can think of.

This isn't complicated music; these aren't pseudo intellectuals with their ironic moustaches drinking espresso at Starbucks. This is the sound of men jumping on tables and beating their chests, and it rings true.