SAVAGE
“Glory Riders”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Savage are a heavy metal band from Germany formed in 2019, releasing their self titled debut E.P. in 2022, and debut full length album ‘Glory Rides’ in 2023.

With a sound that harks back to the early days of American bands Motley Crue, Twisted Sister and W.A.S.P. new German outfit Savage deliver power driven, muscular heavy metal, thoroughly infectious and head bangingly addictive. For thirty six minutes via eight songs, the band hook listeners right from the off – ‘Carcass On Your Shoulders’ a rough and ready mix of head bang-able heavy metal and bombastic hard rock! The galloping pace echoes the iconic NWOBHM gallop, Savage replicating the metal sound of the eighties when everyone was labelled as “heavy metal”. Even the likes of Def Leppard, Kiss and Whitesnake – I tell ya, it was very different back then. I’m so glad I was a part of it…

…growing up as a teenager during the eighties, listening to the above mentioned bands (and more) create and define the sound of heavy metal, to hear a new band in modern times pay homage to such a great era is just fantastic! ‘Glory Riders’ powers on with ‘Life In Chains’, keeping the head of every single metalhead around the world rocking back and forth at a very vigorous rate – the opening double shot a glorious, and highly infectious gallop. The intensity of the album so far has been incredible, Savage engaging every listener the moment the album began. An album that roars on with the W.A.S.P.-like ‘Make My Day’ – the mid-eighties W.A.S.P. when the band, along with Manowar, helped to define the sound of American heavy metal. Savage may be a German band, but they’ve got the muscular style of American metal down to a tee. With a wonderful tongue-in-cheek play on words, ‘Master Bator’ is the rockiest, most bouncy song heard so far, a strong aroma of happiness infecting every listener, fan and follower. The band appear to be having fun, effortlessly passing that feeling on to everyone – I know I’ve not stopped smiling since the album began!

With no sign of an imminent break from the relentless metal on show, ‘Glory Riders’ marches on with the thundering ‘Wheels Of Fire’, planting its feet firmly on the monitor, strutting its stuff with majesty and elegance. Savage are delivering a strong old school flavour melded with modern day nuances, pleasing old, young, and new fans alike. Moving in a much moodier direction, ‘Glory Riders’ takes on a menacing ambience with the mid tempo doom laden thunder stomp of ‘Nightmare Invaders’ – yet the band prevent it becoming frightening by keeping alive their massive melodious intent! Not to mention the intensity too, which has been rock solid since minute one…

…and remains in force as the title song ‘Glory Riders’ enters the fray. And at six minutes in length, ‘Glory Riders’ (the song) is the longest song on offer, and is a galloping gourmet of traditional heavy metal with immense head bang ability and an infectious level higher than any other song! The W.A.S.P. influence is remains very high, Savage pounding listeners with a bombastic barrage of power driven heavy metal – ‘Thirty & Dirty’ bringing the album to a close with a blazing inferno of infectious, catchy and insanely attractive metal. As albums go, ‘Glory Riders’ (the album) is immediate, very quickly into its stride, slowing down for nothing and no-one.

Overall, thirty six sparkling minutes of muscular heavy metal with an extremely high dose of head bang ability.

TRACKLIST

Carcass On Your Shoulders
Life In Chains
Make My Day
Master Bator
Wheels Of Fire
Nightmare Invaders
Glory Riders
Thirty & Dirty

https://www.facebook.com/savagegloryriders

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