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AMBUSH
Infidel

High Roller (2020)
Rating: 8/10

Infidel is the third full-length studio album from this lauded Swedish heavy metal act since their formation in 2013. It could be said that the quintet has steadily got better since 2014 debut offering Firestorm, but even that was a rather impressive little tome of musicality.

This latest outing continues the theme, and while offering no major surprises it still provides those consistent levels of Judas Priest-styled rages of glinting majesty and flowing efficiency.

Everything about Ambush feels tight, and is glued together seamlessly with the soaring vocal duties of Oskar Jacobsson and a deadly axe duo. The likes of ‘Hellbiter’, ‘A Silent Killer’ and ‘Lust For Blood’ are anthemic and smooth as steel; great walls of shining metallic majesty perfect for battle. Meanwhile, ‘Leave Them To Die’ is nifty yet accessible, where a gang chant prepares us for the war as the clan dives headlong into a speedy rhythm bringing to mind classic Accept.

But there’s nothing rusty or overly retro about Ambush. Instead, the guys keep things fresh and vigorous, rarely letting up as short instrumental ‘The Summoning’ begins with a menacing shimmer and an imaginary crack of thunder rings out across the land, signalling that another anthemic jaunt is on its way. Guitars wail with melancholic menace as I imagine fiery comets streaking across the black sky, and then the combo pauses and then launches its fizzing attack. Flecks of classic Helloween and, again, Priest come to mind before the aggressive glint of ‘The Demon Within’ rattles and hammers with thrashy aplomb.

And that’s the scene set throughout; a batch of concise, effortless, smooth saunterings sprigged with steely solos and blazing percussion as ‘A Silent Killer’ buzzes with energy, nodding towards classic galloping Judas Priest again as the bass bubbles and trembles within the metal mire. ‘Iron Helm Of War’ is typically racy as the band goes hammer and tong as if their lives depended on it.

Infidel just never falls to its knees or sighs a creek. Instead, it’s all guns blazing throughout a record that just keeps on giving with steely gaze and masculine majesty.

The Swedish combo has released another hearty opus to keep the hearth burning bright, witheach track acting as a separate dancing flame; flickering with fight and deftness and reminding us that the metal pulse still throbs like it was 1984.

Ambush could have easily been swallowed by the smothering mass of throwback bands doing the rounds, but with Infidel they’ve simply cemented themselves as leaders and icons, and above all masters of modern metal.

Neil Arnold

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