On November 18th we heard the first single from the upcoming fourth full-length album by DEATH DEALER, titled “Reigh Of Steel”. It was “Blast The Highway”, and I must confess it didn’t impress me. It’s a typical power metal track, full of energy and speed, and yes, the screams, the riffs, and the solos are all there, but the somewhat uninspired lyrics and this hint of formalism left me with a rather average aftertaste.
So, I’ll just say it from the start: this impression completely changed after listening to the whole album. And I’m going to break it down thoroughly, so please be patient!
First of all, the impressive lineup remains unchanged for the band, the same as on “Conquered Lands“ (Steel Cartel Records, 2020) and the “Fuel Injected Suicide Machine” EP (Steel Cartel Records, 2021). However, the label has changed, and now “Reigh Of Steel” will bear the signature of Massacre Records.
The team of Sean Peck (CAGE, THE THREE TREMORS, ex-DENNER/SHERMANN) on vocals, Ross “The Boss” Friedman (ROSS THE BOSS, ex-MANOWAR) and Stu Marshall (NIGHT LEGION, ARKENSTONE, ex-DUNGEON) on guitars, Mike LePond (MIKE LE POND’S SILENT ASSASSINS, ARKENSTONE, EVERDAWN, ex-SYMPHONY X, ex-THEM) on bass, and Steve Bolognese (ex-THEM, ex-WITHERFALL) on drums has shown that it can deliver top-tier power metal—the classic USPM DNA is pleasantly present, and the result is fresh, modern, and consistently well-crafted. Music of relentless speed and ferocious power, built on a rhythmic core that moves with the solidity yet flexibility of a finely honed steel blade, boasting the UNIQUE, magical guitar touch of Ross Friedman and the unbelievably untouchable voice of Sean Peck.
My personal complaint with DEATH DEALER’s releases so far has been a certain imbalance in the tracklists. If one or two tracks that break the cohesion were missing, and if a few more melodic insertions were added, the songwriting would escape even the slightest sense of stylization and—humbly speaking—would feel more concretely complete.
On the other hand, perhaps DEATH DEALER want to offer, besides the aggressive, charging 90s JUDAS PRIEST attitude and the sharp speed reminiscent of PRIMAL FEAR and FIREFORCE, those distinctive moments of theirs—whether built on catchier, more recognizable patterns, or on the provocatively wild push to their absolute limits.
One thing is certain: they don’t want to sacrifice the full-force, head-on metal assault, and they insist on this US power formula with a direct, immediate, and uncompromisingly explosive style.
Don’t get me wrong! I’m not implying in any way that DEATH DEALER don’t deliver a DELICIOUS and SATISFYING high-octane menu with all the shades that guarantee a distinct and TEMPTING discography to savor. I simply mean that, personally, I’d like a more intricate tone to their sound and at the same time greater cohesion in each album’s overall result—because, quite simply, I know they can do it!
Do they succeed that in their new offering?
YES, they do!
“Reigh Of Steel” opens impressively with “Assemble”, a ROUSING call for molten-hot metal that grabs you by the throat instantly!
FANTASTIC continuation with “Devil’s Triangle”, which carries that subtle oddness along with shifts in rhythm and tone that deliver exactly what I tried to describe above: an ornate side of DEATH DEALER that stands out effortlessly and majestically.
Next comes “Riding On The Wings”, where the tempo drops and the focus shifts to a catchier expression and an anthemic chorus—to be honest, I felt it slightly cut the momentum of the previous two tracks, but I understand its place in the tracklist.
And although “Bloodbath” arrives with supersonic velocity and relentless blasting, it wasn’t exactly the change of pace I expected.
Logically, “Raging Wild And Free”, despite its title, lowers the intensity again but keeps the melody in a SAXON-styled, hymn-like mode, managing to balance the development and musical storytelling of the album extremely well.
Next is “Blast The Highway”, which, now framed within the album, gains a different dimension compared to when I heard it alone as a single. It doesn’t offer any grand surprise, but it serves the flow excellently and injects renewed energy into the tracklist.
The tone shifts with “Compelled”, a mid-tempo track with a menacing character, and although simple in structure, DEATH DEALER—BEING WHO THEY ARE—manage to transform it into one of the strongest samples of their upcoming work.
“Dragon Of Algorath” arrives to once again bare the band’s sharp, bloodthirsty teeth, biting down hard with a fierce, sweeping piece where Sean Peck haunts our ears with unbelievable screams, while the Friedman/Marshall duo truly embroider their guitar solos!
The album closes with its longest tracks, both surpassing six minutes. And they are both AMAZING!
“Sleeping Prophet” is a slow, heavy, imposing piece with classic heavy metal strength, a dynamic outburst in the middle, and a haunting bassline leading into a wonderful solo. Truly, literally CLASSY material. I LOVED it!
The record ends with a definitive USPM song, the fantastic “Reign Of The Night”, where DEATH DEALER display their objective capabilities once again in the best possible way—another personal favorite.
“‘Reign Of Steel’ is a crushing piece of metal delivered by a killer band.” Ross Friedman declares proudly. And I agree 100% without a shred of doubt.
Because, ultimately, “Reign Of The Night” is more than a worthy successor to “Conquered Lands“, which marked the first evolution in the band’s sound after their first two albums. This evolution continues on the new record, with the band sounding tight and spirited, with many AWESOME songs and an unwavering appetite for a merciless, boundless heavy metal orgiastic feast.
The band comments: “‘Reign Of Steel’ represents the pinnacle of DEATH DEALER. The album is deep, intense, and the result of thousands of hours making sure every song is the very best it can be” and Stu Marshall adds: “We spent countless hours crafting this album”.
I believe it wholeheartedly. Even in the songs that didn’t fully win me over, the band’s work is evident, sincere, and passionate. “Reigh Of Steel” has the particularity of having been written within the past five years, meaning within the aftermath of the pandemic.
Sean Peck elaborates:
“We wrote this album while locked down in a dystopian reality. It gave us the focus to create what may be our finest achievement yet.”
From a production standpoint, “Reign Of Steel” comes to life under the co-production of Stuart Marshall and Sean Peck, whose combined vision shaped the album’s aggressive precision and melodic grandeur. Mixing and mastering were handled by Chris Themelco at Monolith Studios, giving the record its massive, high-impact sound.
The striking artwork of Dusan Markovic, with additional design contributions from Aley Yarborough, completes an aesthetic as powerful as the music itself.
“Reign Of Steel” will be released on January 23rd 2026 by Massacre Records as a CD Digipak and limited Vinyl LP.
Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
Pre-orders of both the CD and the LP will start soon.
