Time Signature A year later there is still metal left in the skull...

Genre: traditional heavy metal

Collecting the EPs "Drunk On Blood" and "... And The Sepulcher Of The Mirror Warlocks", this compilation is to be released later this month via Killer Metal Records. As the awesome cover art indicates, this is metal for those who like all things fantasy (I mean it's an orc popping a dude's head off with a rigged D20).

Colossus is a decidedly old school heavy metal band, and despite the obvious humor they embrace, they are pretty damn awesome. All tracks are in an NWoBHM-inspired vein, treating the listener to galloping guitars and twin guitar leads. Not surprisingly, then, this release is full of songs that sound as if they were composed back in the 80s. And, well, I gotta say, this is just the kind of traditional metal that I have always had a weakness for. The exceptions that confirm the rule are perhaps 'The Last Stand of Miles Teg' and 'Swords Against Death' which are more oriented towards speed-power metal(and pretty fucking badass, too).

The production is pretty good without being polished, and quite old school without being lo-fi. There is a bit of a difference production-wise between the tracks from "Drunk On Blood" and "... And The Sepulcher Of The Mirror Warlocks", but that is not something that disturbs the listening pleasure. Colossus are pretty good musicians and songwriters and manage to capture all the (good) clichés of 80s metal.

Fans of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Slough Feg and other quality traditional metal are bound to love this release by Colossus the head-popping metallic knight slayers.