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OATH SC
Hallowed Illusions

Self-released (2022)
Rating: 7/10

Here’s some great, galloping heavy metal straight from the dusty vaults of Edinburgh in Scotland and it’s all down to the talents of one man, Steve Waddell. Oath SC is now on its third opus, and if you blinked you may have missed Legacy (2019) and Computer Warrior (2020), so grab yourself a copy of this new eight-track affair.

It could be said that Oath SC has always been bogged down slightly by lo-fi production values, but fans may argue that it adds to the retro trad’ metal gleam, so what you essentially get here is an energetic, melodious homage to the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal with dashes of contemporary metal such as Haunt thrown in for good measure.

In a sense there’s something formulaic about the half-hinted occult imagery, but it still makes for a rollicking listen as ‘Disposable’ comes hurtling out the traps built upon a rattling axe sound and Waddell’s no frills yet exuberant vocal chimes. He’s more than adept at plundering the depths of 80s metal mania to resurface with enough authentic guile to keep us entertained.

‘Heresay’ is stark, stripped back yet infectiously dark, and ‘Bedsit Symphonies’ is a nifty lump of proggy, organ-based stuffiness, although Waddell’s vocal chops here leave a lot to be desired, sort of alien to the track. Meanwhile, ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ is airy and melodic with its axe and breezy drum sound before a darker riff unravels.

Sadly, it is Waddell’s vocals which struggle throughout this album, a record with so much potential, and yet while it’s probably a lot easier (and cheaper) to take on all roles, this sort of heavy metal outing is literally gagging for a punchier, more charismatic vocal approach. Tracks such as ‘Standing On The Edge Of The World’, with its almost summery bop, and ‘Looking Back’, which is equally stirring, require less warble and more versatility.

Oath SC’s third opus is, like those which came before, patchy, so while we get those magical, nostalgic nods to a bygone era, the record could do with some tweaks. Modern day metal is, of course, riddled with similar bands trying to keep the flames of old alive, but many are not throwing caution to the wind in their approach and in an eagerness to bestow halcyon spells upon us are in turn coming across as rather fragile exertions. Hallowed Illusions is a sprightly platter of peaks and troughs, but I’m under no illusion as to its limitations.

Neil Arnold

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