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GOD’S ARMY AD
God’s Army AD

Massacre (2014)
Rating: 9/10

As ‘The World That Never Was’ begins its journey as a Motörhead-styled rattle and clank, I’m reminded that contemporary metal can still be a rewarding experience. God’s Army AD was founded by ex-Gallows Pole / Scanner rocker John A.B.C. Smith, and so with that in mind, I expected a rollicking molten metal feast – I wasn’t let down.

Fans of straight-up, ballsy, blistering New Wave Of British Heavy Metal-styled rock ’n’ roll will love this direct and energetic stomper of a record that has as much in common with Saxon and early Iron Maiden as it does with the thrashier avenues of Canada’s Exciter and power metal.

As debut albums go, it’s one of the best to emerge in 2014; God’s Army AD features racing rhythms and speeding drums, which in turn are spearheaded by a chunky bass and above all, searing hot vocal melodies that ascend above the debris. Those of you desperately seeking a natural bridge between burnin’ 80s metal and the contemporary need look no further than this supernova slab of riveting metal. Nary a bad track in sight, this is basically a lesson in how to somehow sound vintage, but with injections of modern dynamics.

Smith grabs the vocal duties by the throat, and delivers the sort of tones we’d come to expect from that mystical realm of metal which emerged around 1986. This is part power metal fury, but is still a thrash extravaganza; this has all the qualities of those criminally underrated bands of the halcyon days of metal, ranging from the aforementioned Exciter to Vicious Rumors, Artch, Grave Digger and just about every other frenzied metal band. Of course, there is a classic metal streak that runs throughout this smorgasbord of scintillating riffage, so it’s no shock for me to mention varying influences from Accept, vintage Helloween et al.

Thoroughly metallic, this eight-track pulveriser is everything a man could want from a heavy metal record. The mania comes via the epic strains of opener ‘The World That Never Was’ through to the infectious ‘Gods Must Be Crazy’ with its jarring thrash introduction, plus the fantastic Maiden-esque fire of ‘Hear You Scream’.

Smith is joined by a trio of talent in the form of guitarists Don Amiro and Ian O’Sullivan (Hallowed, Carnún Rising), and drummer Mark Cross (Tainted Nation, Firewind, Helloween, Kingdom Come). The sweet music they have concocted is one that scorches the ears, but one that’ll have you crawling back for more. The simmering, brooding ‘Coming Back To Life’ is a classic, straight down the line metal ripper, while the technical prowess of ‘God’s Army’ ends the album with rousing effect.

Sometimes you just want to bang the hell out of that head of yours, and God’s Army AD’s debut metal storm allows one to do that. No gimmicks, this is just a pummelling, stomping, and above all meticulous marrying of melody and power – the perfect ingredients for a metal record, if you ask me.

Neil Arnold

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