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STALLION
Slaves Of Time
2020 High Roller Records

STALLION is a speed metal quintet from Germany that has previously released two full-length albums, Rise And Ride (2014) and From The Dead (2017). The band consists of Pauly (vocals), Äxxl (guitar), Clode (guitar), Stämpfe (bass) and Aaron (drums).

If you’ve never heard STALLION before, they are from the same realm as bands like SKULL FIST, CAULDRON and ENFORCER, bands that refer to metal’s past, yet mix in a little something extra. Yes, you’ll hear throwbacks to classic ‘80s metal; bands such as ACCEPT, AGENT STEEL, and LAAZ ROCKIT come to mind. There’s a nod to thrash, glam and sleaze metal here as well. STALLION is largely defined by their huge riffs and Pauly’s voice, who will shred your eardrums with his piercing (and oftentimes, falsetto) wail. There are shades of Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS) and Henrik Ostergaard (DIRTY LOOKS) to be found in his vocals.

For the most part, Slaves Of Time doesn’t stray too far from the band’s formula, and picks up where From The Dead left off. Lead track “Waking The Demons” will whet your appetite, while theme song “No Mercy” will pummel you into submission. This song, like many on the album, ventures into the thrash arena occasionally. (View the video on KNAC.COM HERE). A favorite is “Time To Reload”, which is full of amazing riffs and tons of swagger. “All In” has a gambling theme, while “Brain Dead” shows off more speed elements, and will send you to the lyric sheet to decipher what’s going on.

Your only respite from the fray is the ballad “Die With Me”. You may find yourself singing along. At this point, if you haven’t already, you can crank this album to the maximum level. Final tracks “Merchants Of Fear”, “Dynamiter”, “Kill The Beast” and heavy metal tribute “Meltdown” are absolute barnstormers. These succinct songs (2-3 minutes each) have probably received the most plays in my stereo system.

STALLION should not be dismissed as mere revivalists. They are very refreshing, and their music has tons of energy that really packs a punch. Make no mistake, these guys can play. Äxxl and Clode are solid guitarists, and the rhythm section of Stämpfe and Aaron is very tight. There are 10 songs on Slaves Of Time, clocking in around 43 minutes. Slaves Of Time is available now from High Roller Records.

4.5 Out Of 5.0