VILLAIN
“Don’t Be A Hero”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Villain are a heavy metal band from Canada releasing their self titled debut E.P. in 2018, and debut full length album ‘Don’t Be A Hero’ in 2025…

…the band continuing the long line of metal bands to have emerged out of Canada – bands such as Anvil, Sword, Skullfist, Striker and Iron Kingdom, each and every one of them displaying the pure essence of classic sounding traditional heavy metal! Founded by drummer Jake Greasy (Riot City, ex Manacle), the bands line-up is completed by vocalist/guitarist Caleb Beal (Breaker), guitarist Dan Stewart and bass player Merlyn Beal (Breaker) – ‘Don’t Be A Hero’ forty foot to the floor minutes of immensely head bang-able heavy metal! Opening with the title song ‘Don’t Be A Hero’, the band are very quickly into their stride, the sound of galloping metal rising high in the air – and a fucking glorious sound it is too! Highly head bang-able right from the off, ‘Don’t Be A Hero’ (the song) is urgent, fast paced and just the tonic for any traditional metaller anywhere in the world. And I mean anywhere, for heavy metal has no boundaries – language, country, race, religion or gender, it don’t fucking matter, especially when it’s this fucking good!

A sensational opening gambit, Villain maintain the phenomenal intensity with the ground shuddering ‘Venus Mound’, the pace and power just as lively as the album opener, the band delivering a double delight to plant smiles a mile wide on the faces of every listener everywhere – fists raised high and punching the air to salute the Canadian metallers. And with more energy than either of the two previous songs, ‘Too Late For Heaven’ roars outta the gate faster than a hare in a greyhound race, Villain breaking every land speed record known to man! And probably a few unknown ones too – the band maintaining the immensely high head bang ability with ‘Womaneater’, the heart melting sound of melodic heavy metal in full stride pouring out of the album right now! There’s also a little genre hopping here too, ‘Womaneater’ displaying the stunning metal and rock mix that was prevalent during the eighties evolution, revolution, and re-definition of heavy metal music. And all from a band that are over four and a half thousand miles and forty five years away from where metal was born, right here in the UK.

Every song on ‘Don’t Be A Hero’ (the album) clocks in at around four minutes or less, paving the way for a quick moving, no-time-for-a-breather rollercoaster of metal, ‘Sweet Danger’ keeping the hammer well and truly down, Villain cruising along the freeway at full throttle as the iconic NWOBHM guitar tone sends every metal traditionalist fucking nuts! In fact, the NWOBHM guitar tone has been rife right throughout the album so far, ‘Trouble’ entering the fray with a slight AC/DC boogie feel and a swagger that reminds me of Southern rock, the Canadian outfit transversing so many genres I believe there’s also a little glam and sleaze in their too! And oh my God, ‘Fires In The North’ features a guitar tone so fucking hot I think the Sun just landed in my ears – Villain sizzling with tonnes of energy, power and pace, the band delivering one of the surprise albums of the year!

And with a harder exterior than everything heard up to this point, ‘The Ride’ stamps the ground with immense force to wobble walls, shake buildings and send shockwaves spiralling around the entire planet – every listener, fan and follower feeling the tremors! The band are making a huge fucking impact with their debut full length record, everyone everywhere still boasting smiles a mile wide as ‘What A Nice Place’ storms in with a more hustle and bustle feel than any other song on offer! Yet Villain lose none of the albums massive melodious streak – a streak that’s ran through the heart of ‘Don’t Be A Hero’ (the album) since it began! And to bring a stunning album to a close, ‘Razing Hell (Tokyo)’ is a raucous, riotous romp of all out energy with intense urgency and purpose – the Canadian metal band striding tall and proud right through the heart of heavy metal territory with this one! And not just this one – the entire album!

Overall, a fast paced, head bang-able gallop of infectious heavy metal, ‘Don’t Be A Hero’ is one of the years biggest surprises.

TRACKLIST

Don’t Be A Hero
Venus Mound
Too Late For Heaven
Womaneater
Sweet Danger
Trouble
Fires In The North
The Ride
What A Nice Place
Razing Hell (Tokyo)

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

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