MORDRED
“VOLITION”
E.P. Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Mordred are a cross over thrash metal band from the USA, forming in 1984, releasing their debut album ‘Fool’s Game’ in 1989, with the follow up ‘In This Life’ in 1991. The bands third album ‘The Next Room’ followed in 1994, before the band split-up, and each member went their separate ways. The band reformed in 2013 and started writing some new material – resulting in a new single ‘Baroness’, released in 2015. The four song E.P. ‘Volition’ was released in 2020.

Mordred pre-dated the evolution of thrash metal from the Bay Area of San Francisco (in America), which was spearheaded by Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer – known as “The Big Four”, and also pioneered the crossover trend that the likes of Rage Against The Machine, Faith No More, and Limp Bizkit would continue. Mordred, like “The Big Four”, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Accept and the “Teutonic Four” (Kreator, Sodom, Destruction and Tankard), are just as important in the development of heavy metal and all its sub genres. Laying their foundations with 89’s ‘Everyday’s A Holiday’ (single release), Mordred etched their name into the history books…

…history books that are still being written today, as Mordred release a new E.P. ‘Volition’, and place another entry into the history of the crossover thrash metal genre. At just sixteen minutes and four songs, the bands new E.P. has plenty of oomph, energy, and variety, opening with the punchy ‘Not For You’. This is definitely Mordred, their attitude, energy and crossover influences are still there, with the band sounding as passionate as they ever did. ‘What Are We Coming To’ is less of the traditional sound you’d associate with metal, incorporating elements of rap into their already funky, groovy sound.

Third song on offer is the swashbuckling ‘Love Of Money’. This is what Mordred are most well known for – forget Anthrax/Public Enemy and Aerosmith/Run DMC – it was Mordred who fashioned a whole new sound for these much later band collaborations. Mordred were the pioneers, the innovators, and the leaders – and sadly, history will show they never got the recognition they truly deserved. Well maybe it’s time to rewrite that history, with Mordred still showing their innovative prowess with their new E.P. – an E.P. that ends with the bands 2015 single ‘Baroness’. Mordred are an important part of metal history – and in this life, Mordred are a must learn lesson for the younger generation.

Overall, a fiery flourish from the founders of the crossover style of metal, ‘Volition’ E.P. marks another stunning entry into the history of Mordred.

TRACKLIST

Not For You
What Are We Coming To
Love Of Money
The Baroness

https://www.facebook.com/MordredBand

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