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Air Raid - Fatal Encounter review



Reviewer:
7.7

41 users:
7.59
Band: Air Raid
Album: Fatal Encounter
Style: Heavy metal
Release date: February 24, 2023
A review by: AndyMetalFreak


01. Thunderblood
02. Lionheart
03. In Solitude
04. See The Light
05. Sinfonia
06. Edge Of A Dream
07. Let The Kingdom Burn
08. One By One
09. Pegasus Fantasy

If the late 80s glam side of metal is your kind of thing, then try this bunch of Swedish metal badasses out for size.

Formed back in 2009, the Swedish old school heavy metal band Air Raid have reached their fourth full-length release with Fatal Encounter. It's their first release in six years, and they've returned by hitting the ground rolling. The opening track "Thunderblood" throws you straight into the midst of the late 80s metal era, most notably replicating the sound and style of W.A.S.P. with the classic breakneck speedy riffs, stadium-chanting choruses and verses, and lightning rhythmic drumming pounding away. "Lionheart" follows suit and so do the other tracks that come after; the album is flooded with a high level of energy and excitement from beginning to end.

It has to be said that the first half of Fatal Encounter impresses me more so than the second half, particularly the tracks "In Solitude", with its memorable chorus and impressive songwriting, and "See The Light", with its speedy galloping riffs and catchy main hooks. Still, this isn't said to knock the second half of the album, as each song contains enough catchiness and excitement to keep you hooked, which even goes for the unique neoclassical instrumental, “Sinfonia”. The final track "Pegasus Fantasy" is also a notable highlight for me; I'm not usually one for cover songs in any genre unless the band in question brings something unique and special and performs it to a high standard, but this Make-Up cover track I have to say is excellent, and a perfect way to close the album.

There's nothing that hasn't been done before here, but it's the savage performances by each musician that I find most striking, starting with Fredrik Werner's outstanding vocal performance; Blackie Lawless, eat your heart out, this guy is up there with the best of them in terms of his vocal range and classic style. Also, there is a change in line-up, as Fatal Encounter sees new bassist Jan Ekberg and drummer William Seidl join, bringing their incredible performances into the picture too. However, it isn't just the outstanding performances here that impresses me; the production is also high quality. No element performed comes across as over the top, everything is well mixed, the vocals work hand-in-hand with the instrumentation, the guitar tone is thick, the bass is crystal clear and, best of all, the drumming has a powerful sound. So whatever this album lacks in originality, it certainly makes up for in sound quality.

If you thought heavy metal was a thing of the past, here's another example that it sure as hell is not. You can go back and listen to the great heavy metal bands of the 80s, but this incredible genre is still continuing to impress us to this very day.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 7
Originality: 5
Production: 8





Written on 03.03.2023 by Feel free to share your views.


Comments

Comments: 8   Visited by: 32 users
05.03.2023 - 10:16
Rating: 9
DarkWingedSoul
Hm, although i lately swim in rather deathly and blacky waters, i did enjoy some of the melodic outputs lately, the likes of Venator. Manimal or Riot City caught my ear... so maybe this one should get a chance as well, especially that i was an early wasp fan... good review !
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05.03.2023 - 11:39
Rating: 8
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Written by DarkWingedSoul on 05.03.2023 at 10:16

Hm, although i lately swim in rather deathly and blacky waters, i did enjoy some of the melodic outputs lately, the likes of Venator. Manimal or Riot City caught my ear... so maybe this one should get a chance as well, especially that i was an early wasp fan... good review !

Thanks I hope you enjoy this one. W.A.S.P. are one of my all time favorite bands so I was blown away when I first listened to it, it was a real nostalgic feeling especially the vocals.
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05.03.2023 - 19:46
Rating: 9
DarkWingedSoul
Hellyeah, enjoy it indeed, on the wasp based sound, there is a layer of classic 80's hard and heavy, also some hammerfall even, bits of stratometal, hell its just a great 80's album if it would have been released them would have surely become a classic... now i need to check out the rest of their discography as well
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06.03.2023 - 16:32
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Loving free whit a wind, you never know what tommorow brings.
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I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"

I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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12.03.2023 - 08:08
nikarg
Staff
You have a "talent" of pointing out the same songs that I would point out in every album you review or any comment you make on an album thread, it's almost creepy

"In Solitude" and "See The Light" definitely stand out, and I pretty much agree with everything you wrote.
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12.03.2023 - 08:14
JoHn Doe
Too derivative for me, I can't get into this. I don't mind these retro-sounding bands, but this one just does not click.
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I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
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12.03.2023 - 08:37
Rating: 8
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Written by nikarg on 12.03.2023 at 08:08

You have a "talent" of pointing out the same songs that I would point out in every album you review or any comment you make on an album thread, it's almost creepy

"In Solitude" and "See The Light" definitely stand out, and I pretty much agree with everything you wrote.

Haha thanks, we must be in sync not a bad thing though it just means we both share a great taste in music
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12.03.2023 - 08:45
Rating: 8
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Written by JoHn Doe on 12.03.2023 at 08:14

Too derivative for me, I can't get into this. I don't mind these retro-sounding bands, but this one just does not click.

I can understand your point, there are certain retro-sounding bands that don't click with me either, this one just seemed to strike that nostalgic feeling with me straight away, and I like the songwriting, I really enjoy it, but then some newer heavy metal bands don't quite do it for me.
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