FRENZY
“Of Hoods And Masks”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9.5/10

Frenzy are a heavy metal band from Spain formed in 2016, releasing their debut E.P. ‘Lethal Protector’ later the same year. The band – formed by Anthony Stephen (vocals) and Angel Munoz “Choco” (bass) – released their first full length album ‘Blind Justice’ in 2019, followed by sophomore album ‘Of Hoods And Masks’ in 2023.

With a sound very much traditional in nature, Frenzy hit hard across just thirty five minutes with nine songs on offer – the one minute instrumental ‘One Minute Closer To…’ setting a serene yet haunting atmosphere as a ticking clock (I presume) counts down to a tension fuelled crescendo. And then a glorious old school flavoured guitar riff fills the air as the band plant one “foot on the monitor” and surge forth with ‘The Doomsday’ – a highly head bang-able romp of all out heavy metal. The swaggering stagger of good old fashioned heavy metal is walking tall and proud, the Spanish outfit embodying everything great about heavy metal! And it doesn’t stop with the opening gambit either – hell no! The band up the pace, tempo and energy, galloping forth with the majestic ‘Where Is The Joke’. Melodious and sing a long-able, ‘Where Is The Joke’ is catchy and infectious, inducing involuntary smiles among the hordes of metalheads worldwide. And the chorus too is so fucking catchy!

The momentum gathered over the opening double is maintained with the more mid paced thunder romp of ‘Spectre Of Love’, bringing a menacing atmosphere to the album, yet losing nothing of ‘Of Hoods And Masks’ impetus. And the change of pace half way through is simply sublime! Increasing the pace two-fold, ‘Uncompromised’ is a blazing firestorm of raucous energy, and will undoubtedly entice thrashers to the Frenzy sound. Yet the melodious intent of the band shines ever so brightly, ‘Uncompromised’ a high velocity gallop of thunder and light! ‘Betrayal In Cold Blood’ is emphatic in stature, keeping the old school flavour alive, yet promoting a modern feel to enhance a forty year old sound. Frenzy are a breath of fresh air, breathing new life into the heavy metal genre, romping on with gusto, bravado, and a fearless attitude.

The band are not afraid to mix up the styles of metal – incorporating styles that exist outside of the metal realm too! For ‘Fear The Hood’ has a blues influence, along with a sleaze metal influence, and touches of so many more, I haven’t got time to list ’em all! Suffice to say, ‘Fear The Hood’ has such a wide array of sounds, that metallers, rockers, and fans of “other” musical genres will come together as one to listen to a very good song. And here comes the bands trademark melodic metal march once more – this time, in the spectacular shape of ‘Living In Oz’, blending perfectly the sounds of metal and rock from the glorious eighties. A sound that I’m so familiar with, having had the pleasure of growing up during the decade of metal and rock evolution. Cheers Frenzy for delivering a sound that hits the sweet spot very hard! And closing the album, is the thrash metal fuelled ‘Give Me Shred (Or Give Me Death)’ – wreaking havoc at high speed, furiously banging the heads of every single metalhead everywhere! What a crushing end to a very good album of infectious and melodious metal.

Overall, a head bang-able thirty five minutes of pulsating heavy metal from a band with tonnes of energy and promise.

TRACKLIST

One Minute Closer To…
The Doomsday
Where Is The Joke
Spectre Of Love
Uncompromised
Betrayal In Cold Blood
Fear The Hood
Living In Oz
Give Me Shred (Or Give Me Death)

https://frenzymetal.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/frenzymetal

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