STEEL SENTINEL — Feel the Power of Metal (review)

STEEL SENTINEL — Feel the Power of Metal album cover EP · 2013 · Heavy Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
siLLy puPPy
USAmerican inspired heavy metal from 1983 coming at you from a totally unexpected time and place, namely Cancun, Mexico and in 2013. STEEL SENTINEL has only released a sole EP despite forming and reforming several times since 2012 but channels the zeitgeist of the original heavy metal scene of the early 80s in the vein of Jag Panzer, Metal Church, VIrgin Steele, Helstar and countless others.

The band’s sole release FEEL THE POWER OF METAL celebrates those early days when subject matter wasn’t overcomplicated and simply rockin’ the house was enough to get you through the night. This little EP features six tracks at nearly 23 minutes and was released as a bonafide CD on the Sade Records label. It’s utterly amazing how authentic this sounds to the early 80s with every detail fussed over.

The riffing, melodies, guitar solos, over the top high pitched vocals and stylistic approach sounds right at home amongst the NWOBHM and US counterparts of the early 80s and having visited Mexico there are aspects indeed that are still very much in the 1980s so it’s not surprising to hear such an anachronistic release from one of Mexico’s top resort cities. The tracks may lack any originality but the authenticity is top notch as it would be believable if this was claimed to have emerged in the underground all the way back in the early 80s.

The musicians are all top notch with no slackers and the lead vocalist authentically features that clumsy wailing style with those operatic high notes that don’t quite make the grade. This is one of those local bar bands you imagine having performed the entirely of years without getting noticed much less signed to a label. Some of the melodies are right out of the Iron Maiden playbook but this is much more amateurish than any of the successful acts of the day.

This is really a flashback time machine type of release and not at all essential but an interesting glimpse into a part of the world that isn’t known for much outside of luxury hotels and tourist filled beaches. A nice little side track but not something i’d revisit as it simply makes me want to revisit all those classic heavy metal albums from the early 80s instead. A noble try but if this band ever wants to go anywhere, it will clearly have to step up its game a few notches.
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