WHITE SKULL
“Metal Never Rusts”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

White Skull are a heavy metal band from Italy formed in 1988, releasing eleven albums across a three decade career – with the bands most recent release ‘Metal Never Rusts’, emerging in 2022…

…featuring the bands penchant for energetic, all out heavy metal with a hundred percent head bang ability. The new album is ten songs and fifty minutes of roaring metal with a pedal to the metal mentality and a “foot on the monitor” feel second to none. Thundering into life, the band are immediately in full flight with the barn storming ‘Hammer On Thin Ice’ – the energy and oomph absolutely incredible! And the husky, throaty vocals of lead singer Federica – simply wow! Not only are they commanding and very powerful, but there’s a real sexiness about ’em too!

A blazing start to the new album becomes a scorching one, with the red hot title song ‘Metal Never Rusts’ – mixing fast and furious segments with more mid tempo melodic ones to deliver a pace changing assault of traditional heavy metal. The opening double salvo has been nothing short of outstanding, the band firing on all cylinders with their latest offering. Introducing a menace not heard yet, ‘Skull In The Closet’ is a sinister and heavy hitting tantrum of vicious vocals and aggressive riffing. The stunning mix of traditional and power metal is shining very brightly, with an anthemic sing a long style chorus to boot! White Skull catering for the concert going fans to participate with the band – all together now “skull in the closet”. Fucking awesome! And suddenly, strains of an impending ballad come floating outta the speakers – all twenty seconds worth! For the band then step on the gas – ‘Black Ship’ storming forth at an incredible speed, adopting a mighty anthemic feel as it finds its stride. A gear changing melodic monster, ‘Black Ship’ maintains the albums electrifying start.

Over the years, many friends of mine have accused me of being a little mental – and I’ve always said “no – not a little…I’m heavily mental”. Have the band been listening to me? Maybe, for ‘Heavily Mental’ crashes in with a heaviness heavier than anything heard so far. And with the pace of a power ballad too! Yet ‘Heavily Mental’ is more akin to an anthemic hymn, with every fan, follower and listener raising their fists high to violently punch the air with a rebellious rabble rousing attitude. Featuring guest vocals from Chris Boltendahl (Grave Digger, Hellryder), ‘Scary Quiet’ is high intensity, high velocity heavy/power metal. The instantly recognisable vocals of Chris complimenting Federica perfectly – ‘Scary Quiet’ a sumptuous rampage of high quality heavy metal. And the stunners just keep on coming – ‘Ad Maiora Semper’ the next jaw dropping offering from White Skull. The pace and power of ‘Ad Maiora Semper’ is simply superb, the flavour and smell rising high is the stuff of my dreams – ‘Ad Maiora Semper’ echoing my metal preferences perfectly.

And with the Christmas holidays less than two months away, White Skull launch their very own Christmas song, ‘Jingle Hell’…and believe me, if the band release this as a single in the run up to Christmas – it’s definitely gonna get my vote for the chart topping number one spot! The levels of menace and joyful partying are equal, the chorus a cracking anthemic sing a long. ‘Jingle Hell’ is not just a stocking filler – it’s one of the main presents under the tree! ‘Metal Never Rusts’ (the album) has been full of surprises since it began, and with two songs remaining what’s not to say there’s a couple more still to come! ‘Pay To Play’ is a bold and brash yet highly melodious march of all out heavy metal with the most attractive of all the sing a long-able choruses the album has to offer – I must be in heavy metal heaven! White Skull making a late charge for the Album Of The Year title. At over six minutes in length, the final song ‘Weathering The Storm’ is the longest song on offer, and brings a great album to a show stopping finale. It’s incredible – from the atmospheric keyboard led intro to the numerous singers acting like a choir, each taking their turn on lead vocals. The hymn-like majesty of ‘Weathering The Storm’ is simply superb, and will surely bring an in-concert standing ovation. What a fantastic ending to a very good album.

Overall, a barnstorming barrage of full on heavy metal, fast paced and highly melodic, ‘Metal Never Rusts’ is an excellent album.

TRACKLIST

Hammer On Thin Ice
Metal Never Rusts
Skull In The Closet
Black Ship
Heavily Mental
Scary Quiet
Ad Maiora Semper
Jingle Hell
Pay To Play
Weathering The Storm

http://whiteskull.band/
https://www.facebook.com/whiteskullofficial/

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