NWOTHM from Croatia. Eight tunes, mostly upbeat, delivered with clean vocals. The first few notes of “Tonight” threaten to wander into AC/DC territory, but that’s quickly remedied with a spirited guitar run that launches the track into up-tempo mode, which is maintained throughout its entirety. More guitar than lyrics on that one! Quick hitting and easy to sing-along, Speedclaw songs are fun, with twin guitar interplay.
Next up is “Allnighter”, one of the two videos available online (for those that want to investigate without any financial outlay). It kicks the pace up a bit, with grittier guitar tones. An early ‘80s shuffle, “Queen Of The Night” has a lighter touch, but to let up on those omnipresent buzzing guitars. “Nightwatch”, the last of four consecutive cuts with “night” in the title, is also a video track (singer Silvano Cosic, who doubles on bass, sporting a Night Demon t-shirt in the vid, which isn’t too far afield from his own outfit). For the only time, Speedclaw downshift to mid-tempo. Not bad, just a different feel.
Energetic “Fly High” gets the adrenaline pumping again. Ditto “Crystal Light” follow-up, which raises the ante, a bit: high end guitar rocking out Locomotive chug of “White Town Rider” free wheels down the tracks, seemingly ready to derail, at the next hairpin turn: a wild ride. Disc closing “The Curse Never Dies” is another step back in time (to the ‘80s), with strong singalong potential.
A welcome addition to the burgeoning trad metal field.
Rating: 8.0