Black Death

Black Death

The San Francisco-based fantasy-metal trio has been around since 1982, and this second record was released in 1988, although the original track recordings began as far back as 1985. Marked by the band's utterly distinctive combination of ribboning guitar moves learned from Iron Maiden and the D.I.Y. aesthetics of Motörhead-brand punk-metal, Black Death was about the only record of its kind when it first appeared, at least on this side of the Atlantic. Brocas Helm's gloriously unselfconscious power metal is certainly ideal for riding into battle. Spinal Tap-esque, but Bobbie Wright's guitar playing is no joke and while there are flutes, the inherent humor is neither lost on him. But this is far from irony. This becomes clear pretty much any time Wright takes a solo. Brocas Helm may be having some fun with the genre, but the intention is to rock. There's more than a little Too Fast  For Love-era Crüe in here, as well.

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