NIGHTSHADOW
“Strike Them Dead”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Nightshadow are a power metal band from the USA formed in 2012, releasing their self titled debut E.P. in 2017, and their debut full length album ‘Strike Them Dead’ in 2021.

American power metal bands offer a much harder sound than their European counterparts – and in the mighty shape of Nightshadow, that sentiment rings truer than ever before. Ten songs and fifty five minutes of head bang able heaviness awaits anyone who presses the play button on ‘Strike Them Dead’ – for the album explodes into life with a ferocious tirade of all out, balls out, high energy power metal come heavy metal! ‘Legend’ is an immediate statement of intent, fairly ripping through the airways with blistering speed. Echoes of German power metal icons Rage can be heard, as ‘Legend’ thunders on, battering the senses with melodic savagery. The blistering pace is kept high with ‘Witch Queen’, although as it opens you’d think ballad territory beckons! But no – ‘Witch Queen’ is a thunderous barrage of hard and heavy power metal. What a glorious opening double salvo.

Pace quickens and the thunder roars louder as ‘Ripper’ launches forth with a scream of “let the mayhem begin” – and begin it does. With even more savagery than either of the two previous songs, ‘Ripper’ is a sonic avalanche of power come thrash come traditional heavy metal. What a combination – and one that will place Nightshadow on the radar of every power metal fan. With its title suggesting a power ballad, ‘Love & Vengeance’ lives up to its expectations. At over seven minutes in length, ‘Love & Vengeance’ strides down the ballad boulevard, amid crowds of onlookers with lighters held high. And oh my God – the change in tempo, pace, and feel at three minutes is staggering! I guess the songs first half was the “love” section, with the second half, the “vengeance”. Fairly galloping on to a conclusion, ‘Love & Vengeance’ is one of those Jekyll & Hyde songs. Returning to their signature power metal sound, ‘Children Of The Night’ is a ferocious barrage of bullish metal. Prepare for a bludgeoning as ‘Children Of The Night’ careers forth. A second seven minutes plus song ‘False Truths’, graces the album, proceeding to open with a sinister sounding, yet mellow acoustic vibe, building a crescendo of anticipation. And when ‘False Truths’ launches proper, the familiar sounding thunderous barrage of power metal come heavy metal starts the ears ringing. Not for the faint of heart, ‘False Truths’ is heavy yet melodic, thunderous yet infectious, and may just hook a few heavy rock fans too.

The title song ‘Strike Them Dead’ is the fastest song heard so far, and is a cacophony of speed, power, and pace. The rampaging rhythm slews the listener with a savagery more savage than all that has gone before. Yet ‘Strike Them Dead’ (the song) maintains a melodic streak, making for one helluva catchy and infectious song – regardless of the songs relentless pummelling. Stepping into the aura of heavy metal, ‘Blood Penance’ is a Judas Priest-like powerhouse, full of searing pace, blistering guitars, and a heaviness that will make a wrecking ball seem lightweight! At less than four minutes in length, ‘Storm Bringer’ is by far and away the shortest song on offer – scorching by at an electrifying pace. The die hard head bangers of the world are gonna love this one, with mosh pits everywhere going mental for the storm that ‘Storm Bringer’ has brung, err, brought! The final song ‘Mistress Of The Pit’, is just seventeen seconds short of being the third seven minutes plus song on the album – and that riff after just half a minute is the stuff of the legendary NWOBHM evolution. A riff that remains throughout the entire song – with Nightshadow bringing their debut album to a barn storming close.

Overall, a thunderous fifty five minutes of all out power metal blended with traditional heavy metal, ‘Strike Them Dead’ is a very good album.

TRACKLIST

Legend
Witch Queen
Ripper
Love & Vengeance
Children Of The Night
False Truths
Strike Them Dead
Blood Penance
Storm Bringer
Mistress Of The Pit

https://nightshadowofficial.bandcamp.com/releases
https://www.facebook.com/nightshadowmetal

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