Skullovich - The Age Of Steel - guest review
Skullovich - The Age Of Steel - guest review
Tracklist
01. Skeletal Storm02. Flames Of Chaos
03. By This Axe I Rule
04. Keeper Of Fate
05. Under A Spell
06. Age Of Steel
07. Sword Of The Grave
08. Death Dealer
09. Dungeon Crawler
Guest review by
Blackcrowe February 21, 2025
The year is 1984, and Skullovich just played a killer show in a small venue. I got the cassette, and now I’m home, reliving the experience, reading those unofficial magazines made by the fans, bought at the concert. My neck is starting to hurt. It’s been an extraordinary night. Ahhh, so many memories flood back...
Skullovich has built a time machine with The Age Of Steel, taking you straight from 2024 back to 1984.
The record brings a classic metal experience, drawing from US power metal and thrash like Manilla Road and Omen, mixed with the raw aggression of early Slayer, Sodom, and Celtic Frost. Beyond the influences, Skullovich delivers a sound that’s distinctly their own, adding more complexity to their compositions than you might expect.
The Age Of Steel opens with the instrumental "Skeletal Storm", featuring atmospheric keyboards that build into something darker. The record then kicks into high gear with "Keeper Of Fate", "By This Axe I Rule", and "Flames Of Chaos", loaded with striking riffs and the corrosive vocals of Chevy McQuaide Jr. Chevy and Sean Folk deliver amazing guitar work and solos throughout, bringing high intensity, and the slower sections add a doomy weight, layered with cosmic elements decorated with keyboards and pulsing guitars before fading out. The great song "Death Dealer" is heavily influenced by Slayer’s "Evil Has No Boundaries".
Jose Blanco on bass and Josh Schifris on drums contribute some of the most notable rhythmic parts of the record, especially in songs like "Age Of Steel" and "Sword Of The Grave". Although the band seems to reach its instrumental peak in each song, they surpass themselves again in the next, achieving really interesting things within their obvious limitations. "Dungeon Crawler" is the highlight of the record, eight minutes of great thrash sound. It’s packed with frenetic speed riffing, rhythm changes, and great solos.
The production and artwork leave a lot to be desired, but that makes this album more enjoyable. The cover looks like it was designed by an amateur, but most likely, this was done deliberately. The recording has its letdowns, specifically in the drum sound.
Skullovich digs into that classic underground feel, powerful and deeply immersed in metal history. The Age Of Steel doesn’t just sound old-school, it feels like being transported back to a time when releasing a record was a major event and discovering new bands was like searching for gold. For better or worse, things have changed, but for those odd souls who love analog chronicles, this record is for you. Another great record rescued from the nebula of 2024.
Written by Blackcrowe | February 21, 2025
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Comments
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Posts: 7924
If you've got to know this album from "New Wave of....Thrash" YouTube channel, then we are landing on the same pod. That said, this looks good. Let me check. Thanks for the good write-up.
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 Posts: 610 |
Posts: 610 Written by Cynic Metalhead on 22.02.2025 at 13:12 Yeah man check it out
---- Invisible To telescopic eye, Infinity. The star that would not die. Slayer vs. Slayer: 1,000 MPH or Death
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