Time Signature Skull Splitter...

Genre: "NWoBHM"

Let me start out by saying THIS F*CKING ROCKS, MAN! Okay, with that out of the way, let's talk more seriously about this two-track EP from the American band Züül.

We are dealing with traditional heavy metal here, like the mythical forefathers of the late 70s and early 80s used to make it. Züül seem to be so inspired be The New Wave of British Heavy Metal that the two tracks on this EP actually sound as if they were recorded and released by an English band in 1979 or 1980 rather than a young American band in 2010.

I bet that the members of Züül have spent a lot of money on Ebay, purchasing rare EPs and singles by the likes of Satan, Bleak House, Salem, Hell, Legend and Arc - that is all the good stuff from back then (that, of course, also includes early Iron Maiden).

And those influences are very much present on "Howl of the Wolf", which offers twin guitars galore along with galloping riffs and melodic choruses, generously sprinkled with classic metal style guitar solos.

While the title track, without being a bad song at all, may be a bit repetitive, the other track "Skull Splitter" hits you right in the face like a big brick - it's awesome!

Even the production sounds like it was from 1980, which means that we are dealing with a slight underproduction by today's standards, but that just gives the EP an authentic sound.

recommended to all fans of traditional metal and to NWoBHM-enthusiasts specifically.