SPEEDCLAW
“BEAST IN THE MIST”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Speedclaw are a heavy metal band from Croatia forming in 2015 and releasing their first E.P. ‘Iron Speed’ in 2016. The band have quickly followed this release, with their 2017 E.P. ‘Beast In The Mist’,

You know those short, atmospheric intros that make the hairs on the back of your arms stand up and your heart begin to race a little faster…as you just know something exhilarating is about to happen…’Prelude’, the opening one minute and twenty six seconds of the new E.P. from Croatian metallers Speedclaw, has that feeling wrapped all over it. And boy, was I not wrong… The E.P. explodes into life with the blistering title song ‘Beast In The Mist’. Charging forth at break neck speed, Speedclaw deliver a breath taking opening salvo, recreating the classic NWOBHM sound, adding touches of the thrash metal genre to phenomenal effect. Galloping hard, Speedclaw have set an outstanding pace for the E.P., a pace that actually increases with ‘Faster Than Hell’ lurching forth with venom and aggression. Blazing guitars and galloping rhythms, ‘Faster Than Hell’ will invoke violent head banging as it flies by at high velocity. Thrash metal infused NWOBHM has never sounded so good.

Showcasing a more mature side, and a touch of the melodic metal genre, ‘Rising Of The Claw’ is a superb foray into the classic sound of traditional heavy metal. Speedclaw are from Croatia, but have mastered the British sound of heavy metal. In the formidable shape of ‘Rising Of The Claw’, they have created a head bangers dream, pace and power combined to keep those necks flexing vigorously from start to finish. The mid section of ‘Rising Of The Claw’ becomes more of an instrumental, paying homage to the mid eighties NWOBHM, sounding not too dissimilar to iconic British bands Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.

With no sign of a let up in pace, or a break for a breather, Speedclaw power on with the rocket fuelled ‘Aggression Strikes’. Blending elements of the speed, thrash and power metal genres with their signature NWOBHM sound, Speedclaw demonstrate a superb musical dexterity, delivering sparkling heavy metal at a phenomenal pace. Fans of the eighties thrash and NWOBHM sound are gonna love this album. Sadly though, the album does have to come to an end, but remember, there is always the replay button… ‘Evil That You See’ ends the album as it began, in a furious flurry of out and out pace and power. For thirty minutes, Speedclaw have delivered an exhilarating and exciting listening experience, one that will be a pleasure to listen to again, and again, and again, and, well, you get the idea . . .

Overall, Speedclaw have delivered a phenomenal slice of blistering heavy metal, blending NWOBHM with dashes of thrash metal to amazing effect.

TRACKLIST

Prelude
Beast In The Mist
Faster Than Hell
Rising Of The Claw
Aggression Strikes
Evil That You See

https://speedclaw.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/speedclawrijeka/

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