ALCATRAZZ
Take No Prisoners
Silver Lining Music (2023)
Rating: 9/10
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You can slot American heavy metal heroes Alcatrazz alongside British acts such as Tygers Of Pan Tang, Holocaust and Trespass for soldering on through the decades of line-up and managerial disputes and a landscape of ever-changing musical styles and trends. But whatever conflict has arisen in the past it’s important to focus on the now and what is a dazzling opus wild with solos, fiery in its aggression and as pure metal as an album can get.
While many of the Graham Bonnet fans may have drifted away since his departure following 2020’s Born Innocent, the more loyal may be surprised by the freshness and vigour displayed here. From the off it’s clear that Alcatrazz remains a cohesive unit bolstered further by Joe Stump’s axe work and the thunderous percussion of Larry Paterson. Take No Prisoners is determined to live up to its title as the rest of the band – Doogie White (vocals), Gary Shea (bass) and Jimmy Waldo (keyboards) – construct a stern wall of defence that quickly turns to attack as they rumble with a staggering fluidity and weight through such gems as ‘Little Viper’, ‘Don’t Get Mad… Get Even’ (featuring Girlschool) and the brilliant and epic namesake track ‘Alcatrazz’ with its thrashy segment.
There is so much going on here as the band careers into stony power metal, blazing thrash, and mid-paced menace. ‘Power In Numbers’ has an almost doomy feel to its trudging, as does ‘Salute The Colours’ which combines Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Candlemass, while ‘Strangers’ soars like a Dio epic.
Take No Prisoners is both nostalgic and ever-present as it shifts from trudge to gallop and sprint in one mighty swoop resulting in one of the best albums of the year.
Neil Arnold
