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AMBUSH
Infidel 2020 High Roller Records

AMBUSH is a Swedish heavy metal quintet and Infidel is the band’s third album. It is the follow-up to 2015’s Desecrator and their 2014 debut Firestorm. The band members are: vocalist Oskar Jacobsson, guitarists Olof Engkvist and Adam Hagelin, bassist Ludwig Sjöholm, and drummer Linus Fritzon.

If it hasn’t become obvious, Sweden has been delivering the goods for a number of years now, and AMBUSH are among those good bands. Sure, AMBUSH is similar in approach to fellow Swedes RAM, SCREAMER and ENFORCER, but they wear their love for classic ACCEPT and JUDAS PRIEST on their studded leather sleeves, possibly even more than some of the other bands. On this new album, you can hear the ACCEPT guitar and song structure influence in the World War I-themed “Yperite”, while the JUDAS PRIEST stylings can be heard on the infectious “Hellbiter” and title track “Infidel” (video on KNAC.COM HERE). The speed metal attack of songs “Leave Them To Die” and “Iron Helm of War” really goes for the throat.

“Heart of Stone” is more mid-tempo and isn’t too far removed from ‘80s rockers DOKKEN, and will have fists pumping from Stockholm to Seattle. “Lust For Blood” is a punchy, tight rocker that gives the album a nice closure. The majority of Infidel is upbeat, classic melodic metal. But there are several darker numbers as well. “The Demon Within” and “A Silent Killer” are darker than most songs the band has written, and they readily acknowledge that these tracks on Infidel are darker than on Desecrator.

To be clear, the star of the show is still vocalist Oskar Jacobsson. The rest of the band are no slouches, but Oskar’s voice is what you will remember the most. It’s likely you’ll be singing along with him a lot while listening to Infidel. AMBUSH aren’t reinventing the wheel. They continue to fly the flag for ‘70s and ‘80s hard rock and metal. But damn if these Swedes don’t do it very well. I think that Infidel is AMBUSH’s best album so far, as they seem to have perfected their formula. It has 10 tracks, and clocks in around 44 minutes. With very strong songs, and killer production, seekers of solid, well-crafted melodic metal can’t go wrong with Infidel.

4.5 Out Of 5.0