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AXE CRAZY
Creatures On The Hunt

Crazy (2023)
Rating: 8/10

Considering they formed in 2010, Polish headbangers Axe Crazy has been overlooked somewhat. Creatures On The Hunt is the third full-length outing from the band which features a current line-up of Stanley Cioska (lead vocals), Adrian Bigos (lead vocals and guitar), Robson Bigos (guitar and backing vocals), Jacek Boroń (bass and backing vocals) and Grzegorz Kozikowski (drums).

I love the cover art of this album as it reminds me of that much missed 80s era, but musically this opus also transports us back through the mists of time. What you basically get is a slightly less progressive mix of Helloween and Scanner; linear metal with speedy passages driven by an effective bass assault. The vocals are on the higher end although somewhat flimsy at times and in spite of being catchy the anthems are rather generic, but hey, it’s simplified boisterous heavy metal where tracks such as the title cut are infectious tirades of scorched steel.

At their heaviest, Axe Crazy really do deliver the goods as ‘Destructor’ showcases with its menacing riff. ‘Thunder Zone’ and the aptly titled ‘Straight Ahead’ exhibit the no frills vintage metal these guys are striving for, but every track here offers something good for the soul. You get the twin assault of ‘Diamond Blade (Battle Tales Part 1)’ and ‘One Night Of Glory (Battle Tales Part 2)’, while ‘Wild For The Night’ and ‘Armed & Dangerous’ skid with an excitable fury.

This is a record that is riveting even with its predictable nuances, but such is the fiery axework and message of teenage rebellion that the 80s child within us will most surely be enticed into such a leathery domain.

Neil Arnold

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