Having their origins in the original New Wave of British Heavy Metal around 1980 or so, Soldier return with a stonking new album – Defiant. Whilst the NWOBHM roots are still there to be heard the band has put together here an extremely fine album with much variety in pace and delivery full of mature and well delivered songs which give up more on each listen as the ear picks up on everything that’s going on.
All the way through, Soldier show their chops and ability to switch styles and moods at will. Take the opener, Conquistador. A seven minute prog/metal epic starting with an excellent riff and drum before it all kicks off in some style and rocks along with a driving riff and a contrasting melodic vocal.
The changes in pace throughout make for a tremendous listen. Check out the “twiddly bit” in the middle then the crunch that follows when everyone else comes in again. Here’s the video so you can hear for yourself what a top cut it is:
Leaving and Kill or Cure take us back to the NWOBHM days though with a modern feel. Concrete Wilderness is another ambitious, scopey epic a-la Conquistador full of the big chords, solos, slow bits, slower bits and a huge crescendo finale. More sort of proggy NWOBHM. Really showcases the writing and arrangement talent in the band. Always expecting the unexpected.
Six Hundred is a similar epic though more straightforward in style as it hurtles along with guitars all over the place. A Light to see in the Darkness gives more of the band’s variation. A slowish, moody style with a very fine vocal. A track which mixes it up even more.
Don’t Come Crying to Me (Defiant) is a bone-crunching closer which has all the required elements. Riffs, drums, bass, the twin guitar interplay and more fine vocals from Richard Frost.
There is nothing not to like here on Defiant. We are, as I type, at the mid-point of 2015 and this is my album of the year so far. It’s NWOBHM, it’s “traditional” heavy metal, it’s progressive and overall it really rocks hard with those twists and turns really working.
Defiant is available from Soldier’s web site. I suggest you get along their now and pop your order in:
http://soldiernwobhm.com
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