Coldsteel - America Idle
|
Published February 15 2013
|
*=Staff's pick
|
America Idle
Ashes To Ashes
Blink Of An Eye*
Blood Secrets*
You Lose*
|
Genre |
Thrash Metal |
Troy Norr
|
Vocals
|
Tracks |
5 |
Joe Shavel
|
Guitar
|
Running time |
22 Min. |
Eddie Campbell
|
Guitar
|
Label |
Stormspell |
Doug Odell
|
Bass
|
Release |
20 February 2013 |
Hal Aponte
|
Drums
|
Country |
USA |
-
|
Keyboard
|
Producer |
- |
|
|
Similar artists |
Anthrax |
|
American thrash metallers Coldsteel is yet another band
resurrected from dormancy and this actually without any true original
members. Vocalist Troy Norr and guitarist Joe Shavel were however in
the ranks when their debut EP was released back in 1988. That's pretty
much what I have learned about this band after getting my hands on America
Idle. In all honestly, my hopes weren't too high when I decided to listen
to this release, hence a pleasant surprise when I became aware of some
of the song's excellence and brilliance.
This is rather cool thrash metal following most older
standards, without any brutality and with a vocalist that actually sings
and leaves most screams, roars and growls to rest. In my book, it doesn't
feel totally dated, even if it probably is in many people's ears. We
heard most of it before, but the songs' massive quality weights in favor
over originality. The bass sounds pretty much like it did in the eighties
and not like an additional rhythm guitar which often is the case in
nowadays faster metal. More doesn't always equal better. I hear a lot
of Anthrax in several songs and also some parts with a lighter Metallica
sound. This without being total rip offs though.
Blink Of An Eye, with a good riff and standard factory
made drum fills, together with faster track Blood Secrets are my two
absolute favorites, even if I indeed dig all songs. If this EP would
have been extended to a full length album with songs at this level,
my rating would probably have ended up at a great 8. Five songs and
twenty-two minutes of playing time are however not enough for that grade,
so I stay at a very good 7.
Performance
|
Originality
|
Production
|
Vocals
|
Songwriting
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summary
|
|