LYZZÄRD
“The Abyss”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Lyzzärd are a heavy metal band from Portugal formed in 2013 releasing two albums to date – ‘Savage’ (2017), and ‘The Abyss’ released in 2022…

…featuring ten all out heavy metallers in just thirty six minutes! Which is a long way from the bands hard rock leanings of their 2014 debut release, the four song E.P. ‘Release The Hounds’ – Lyzzärd a much heavier, faster, and thrashier styled band. The one minute instrumental ‘Satan’s Well’ sets an atmospheric and haunting tone, dramatically building tension until bish bash bosh the band hit you square in the forehead with the title song ‘The Abyss’ – and a pummelling “foot on the monitor” tirade of traditional heavy metal. Galloping furiously, the band are in full melodic heavy metal mode, delivering a classic sounding slab of old school metal.

Increasing the pace dramatically, Lyzzärd romp forward with the blistering ‘Shackles Of Justice’, banging heads hard as it hurtles on by. The mosh pits of the world that were slow to wake up to the opening song, will be wide awake now! Heads rocking back and forth at an incredible rate of knots will immediately cease to, for the slow burn, slow tempo, slow pace of ‘Red Hot’. Featuring a blend of balladry and hymn-like tendencies, ‘Red Hot’ changes gear after the minute mark to become a thundering foot on the monitor gallop. The band showing a lot of diversity across the albums opening couple of songs.

The aura of the eighties metal evolution is rampant here, with the band keeping their foot well and truly on the pedal, accelerating hard as ‘Jailbreaker’ is let loose to roam across the land at a fast and furious pace. Yet the melodious intent of the band remains intact, every song so far infectious and highly head bang-able. A second instrumental ‘Distant Skies’, is a spooky one minute of atmospheric chill – leading straight into the all out thunderstorm of ‘Agents Of Death’. The fastest song heard so far, ‘Agents Of Death’ is a screamer of a scorcher, bearing inflections of thrash metal ferocity as it roars on to a conclusion.

Moving in a more hustle and bustle direction, Lyzzärd rumble on with ‘From The Blade To The Grave’, keeping the albums melodious streak very much intact. The band have shown that their hard rock entry into the world of music is firmly behind them – Lyzzärd now, a full on and in your face heavy metal outfit. ‘Resistance’ takes the anthemic root to life, pulsating with energy and oomph and a little bombast too! Striding tall with head held high, ‘Resistance’ is a foot stomping furore, hitting hard like a wrecking ball. And the chorus too – I guarantee you’ll all be chanting “we are the resistance” as loud as you can. The band bring the album to a close in regal sounding mood with ‘As Above So Below’ marching into sight, building a crescendo of pummelling fury, finally exploding into life in a blaze of blistering guitar shredding – the band returning the classic sound of old school heavy metal to the fore, replete with the iconic foot on the monitor vibe.

Overall, traditional heavy metal with lots of punch and oomph, ‘The Abyss’ is an infectious burst of energy.

TRACKLIST

Satan’s Well
The Abyss
Shackles Of Justice
Red Hot
Jailbreaker
Distant Skies
Agents Of Death
From The Blade To The Grave
Resistance
As Above So Below

https://lyzzard.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/lyzzardofficial

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