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STONE FANG
A Demonstration Of Soul Power EP

Self-released (2024)
Rating: 6.5/10

There has been some really striking album art in 2024 and here’s another to add to the list. A Demonstration Of Soul Power is the new EP release from Mississippi one-man band Stone Fang. This work follows on from 2023’s debut full-length album …Into The Baneful Fog, and with this new four-song offering Metas continues the theme of occult-driven metal plucked straight from the mists of the 80s featuring flickers of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, shades of King Diamond and touches of doominess circa Trouble.

The EP closes with an interesting take on Deep Purple’s ‘Bloodsucker’, but the real gem here is the opening title track where Metas cries of “A pile of writhing evil, sludge surrounding a shining mass, impenetrable shields surrounding,” before asking “How could anyone ever get past?”. Metas has a knack for conjuring vivid images of fantasy, as on ‘The Ruined Path’ where he croons “As the slayer of demons carves his way inside the palace gates, a deafening growl approaches”.

At times I feel like I’m reading the words of some crusty 80s sword n’ sorcery novel, so there is certainly a lot of charm to this release with its sword-wielding warriors and a “Mighty red dragon of Hell”. The music does enough even with the stuffy mix, although it still remains an emulation of Mercyful Fate but with more cheese.

Neil Arnold

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