Are you kidding folks? You want me to sit down and write a review about Slauter XStroyes… Yes OK… those re issues on Forged In Fire / Rockadrome require a review… But… But… What can some write for THIS band? Anyway if you are reading Forgotten Scroll then you MUST be aware of this band right?

Well this band was ahead of its time their 1985 debut Winter Kill is not only one of the rarest records in heavy Metal but it is also the Holy Bible of the US Power / Prog Metal (together with the two Watchtower masterpieces of course). Here we got seven tracks –in the original pressing- of technical, intelligent, powerful, skull crashing, passionate and storm taking US Power Metal executed in a complex and ultra unorthodox Progressive way. Yes the record carries this special magic touch that makes it unique in the Metal universe and would make anyone realize the stuff of Winter Kill among a thousand bands / albums.

The vocals of James Steward (imagine a nix of John Arch, Tim Lachman, Midnight and Ski) are something much more than great. The guitars of Paul Kratky are able to born a hundred storm taking riffs and leads in a minute enforcing with all of them every single song of this magnificent record. Of course this Metal Storm will be nothing without the rhythm section of Brent Sullivan –thanks his out of space bass lines- and Dave Donow (I assure you that you have never heard and will never hear a drummer playing THIS way).

Winter Kill stands for power, passion, technique and atmosphere. Yes the record got a special obscure atmosphere and the songs got some of the most wonderful lyrics in Metal, for sure not the typical stuff about skulls and swords… From deep and esoteric to razor cutting ones and yes allow some epic touches as well, great stuff… not just to be heard but to be read as well.

Please do not ask me to pick favorites from here. All the record is a masterpiece. But ok… there is one song that really stands on the top of my mountain: “Black Rose And Thorns”. Simply no words for this song… no words able to describe its atmosphere, its great acoustic parts, its stormy steel breakings, its paranoia…

Thank Metal God that everyone can hear this band. Winter Kill was re issued for first time in 1999 through Monster Records (yes it is the same label that today is known as Rockadrome presenting specific musical genres under specific sub labels letting Forged In Fire sub label specializing in Metal), but even this first re issue on vinyl and CD is almost out of print right now, so time was just right for a new one. As bonus in here you will find a remix of the same titled song (also on the first re issue) plus a video of “Black Rose And Thorns” (did they know that it is my favorite one? Haha). Do not waste a single second, go for this record.

I remember back in the days of this album’s first re issue a Greek fellow Metla Maniac and old Fanzine Heroes was describing this as the “bets record in Heavy ?Metal” Well it could be…


http://www.myspace.com/slauterxstroyesmusic

Review by: Countraven