The Meister Goes Shooting Angels

***Please visit this post on our new website: Shooting Angels Review ***

"Apocalypse is finally here, the end of the world and humanity is condemned, angels are coming down to earth to kill us all and send us to hell. So, you load your shotgun and prepare yourself to hit the road and start some angel hunting. Before this, you need to find the perfect music to join you and motivate you through the journey, fulfilling you with energy, power and "let's rip some fuckin' wings" attitude. Well search no more, you just found Shooting Angels."

Shooting Angels was born in Switzerland in 2014 as a result of a night spent by drummer Alex "Black Cat" and guitarist Lee "The Kid" in a strip club after their jam session. The concept presented to them in their drunken stupor in the form of a hot stripper spewing off pothead talk about the end of the world with the "skies opening up and the angels coming down to earth to kill every human, eating them alive and releasing their souls to hell". And so the band concept was born. Many male singers were auditioned for the position, but it was the kick ass-ery of female vocalist Lola Van Loo that won out to front Shooting Angels. February 2015 saw the release of the Deal With The Devil EP which was recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by Federico Truzzi and shortly afterward guitarist Fabian joined the trio. Now Shooting Angels and their Deal With The Devil EP have found their way to The Meister!

The EP begins with the ominous thunder and rain intro to "This Is War" and this track has a straight ahead rock feel to it with a harmonic, leaning towards symphonic, chorus that becomes quite catchy. Loo shows that she possesses the dulcet tones of the very angels the band is hunting (according to their little bio) at the outset of "Mirror, Mirror" before the rest of the angel hunters join in. The band's title song, "Shooting Angels" is up next and seems to follow the little back story from the band's bio about just what the title suggests. Featuring an insanely memorable chorus that rolls around in my head days later, this is the gem of the assemblage for me. The four song EP wraps up with the title track "Deal With The Devil", another solid composition. All four tracks are available on the Shooting Angels YouTube channel and I have included the links below.

I can't help but picture the American TV show Supernatural with characters Dean and Sam Winchester, for those familiar with that program, when listening to these four tracks thanks to the backstory behind the band. The Shooting Angels EP came to me through the band's drummer Alex "Black Cat". I had previously done a review of Alex's other band Mortician and their Shout For Heavy Metal album (These Austrians Shout For Heavy Metal). While both bands possess a difference in styles, I highly recommend giving both a shot. The only thing left for me now is to hope that they will be playing a gig during the time that I'm over in Europe in June 2015! I'm off to load my shotgun.

Cheers,
The Meister

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PHOTO CREDIT: Shooting Angels Press Kit 2015

Shooting Angels Website / Shooting Angels Facebook / Shooting Angels YouTube / Shooting Angels Bandcamp

These Austrians Shout For Heavy Metal

These Austrians from the city of Vorarlberg started out in the 80's and issued a three track, cult followed EP, No War in 1987 as well as some demo recordings.  They were not heard from again.  Re-grouping in 2009 they released No War & More, a compilation album featuring the No War  EP and some bonus tracks via Pure Steel Records.  2011 saw them issue their first full length in Mortician and now they have returned with Shout For Heavy Metal.  Originals Patrik Lercher (bass) and Thomas Metzler (guitar) have joined with new recruits Daniel Kahn (vocals) and Alex "Black Cat" (drums) for this latest outing.  I guess you could say it took Mortician a long time to get going, but it seems they're not about to lose momentum now and thank God for that!

The album art for Shout For Heavy Metal seems to conjure up Iron Maiden images and the record starts off with a sort of Iron Maiden vibe in the title track, "Shout For Heavy Metal".  As the song begins to kick in and your head starts banging the vocals seem a bit of a contrast, not fitting very well.  That feeling quickly left me as the song went on and I became accustomed to Daniel Kahn's growly tones.  The track is a pure fist pumping, hard driving metal anthem at it's finest.  The rampaging opening riffs of "Eagle Spy" carry this helping of old school metal bound to incite some air drumming.  Iron Maiden is not the only influence on Mortician as "Promised Land" contains elements reminding me of other greats such as Saxon and Accept, but again the vocals seem a little mismatched at times during the verses.  The shortest song, "Rock Power" at just over three minutes weighs in next having a decided Saxon vibe to it while "The Devil You Know" screams Judas Priest to me.  Mortician have all the influences of the bands tattooed on my arm!  The "Satan" chanting in "Black Eyes" is a little odd but "Inner Self" has a ridiculously, awesomely catchy chorus and had my head banging while air drumming with
pencils sitting at my computer desk writing this.  "Hate" starts off slow and acoustic before filling out almost like a bomb drops in a plodding composition, my least favorite in every
listen.  "Wrong Way" brings us back again, another ripping anthem and strong closer for the record.

The promo photo included in the press kit only pictures three of the men and for crying out loud, do you think you could have put the cell phone down during the photo shoot???

The more I delve into and play Shout For Heavy Metal, the more Kahn's vocals settle in with me.  He seems to wear several hats and displays just as many vocal styles, usually more than one during each track. From the growly/gravelly to strong and clear to high pitched, sometimes seeming almost like there's shared vocal duties with another member.  Is it Priest/Maiden/Accept/Saxon?  No, but it is chock full of 80's style power riffs and does their obvious influences proud.  I'll be shouting for heavy metal today as I search out 2011's Mortician for purchase!

Cheers,
The Meister

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PHOTO CREDIT: PURE UNDERGROUND RECORDS PRESS KIT 2014

(Mortician Website) (Mortician Facebook)