Stainless - Lady Of Lust & Steel - review
Stainless - Lady Of Lust & Steel - review
Tracklist
01. Restless An' Ready02. Whorefrost
03. (Don't Cross Me) Fool
04. Lady Of Lust & Steel
05. Danger In The Night
06. Take A Listen Mama
07. Vitamin Tease
08. Rough Justice
A review by
AndyMetalFreak March 26, 2026
Stainless are a Portland, Oregon-based hard rock band formed in 2022. Here, they unleash their full-length debut Lady of Lust & Steel, coming 2 years after the brief yet impressive EP Nocturnal Racer. Simply put, Lady of Lust & Steel is a must-listen for anyone who considers themselves a true fan of NWOTHM, especially if you've encountered and appreciated-female fronted bands such as Blood Star, Tower, and Savage Master, who (like I expect Stainless to be soon) are amongst the hottest bands currently in the US scene right now.
On their debut album they get straight to the point, introducing 8 high-octane anthems equally catchy and memorable, offering a combination of traditional heavy metal, hard rock, and AOR. They throw you right back to the golden generation that brought us the likes of AC/DC, Accept, Saxon, and many more. The duelling guitarists Jamie Byrum and Eric Wallace fire on all cylinders start to finish, unleashing an impressive array of catchy traditional riffs and striking melodic leads, driven on by the energetic rhythm section of Byrum's stylish rapid-fire drumming and Clifton "The Squid" Martin's punchy, groove-laden bass.
There are two highlights in particular that make this album stand out from the countless other bands in the genre nowadays, however, and first of these is the soloing. Don't get me wrong, the riffs are generally impressive, but the solos are even more so; they sometimes have that special bluesy touch reminding me somewhat of Angus Young, other times they wail and shred while overlapping in a manner reminiscent of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. Secondly is Larissa Cavacece's passionately performed raspy vocals. She stands out above most modern heavy metal vocalists due to her versatility, charisma, and attitude, which seems to very much remind me of Leather Leone. An extra oomph is then added by Byrum and guest Vy Campbell, who provide additional backing vocals to accommodate those memorable fist-pumping choruses.
Whilst mostly geared towards a speedy heavy metal direction, they know just when to take their foot off the gas and opt for a more mid-tempo hard rock approach. However, the energetic flow never once feels disrupted despite these tempo changes. The production is of a high modern standard, refined yet still managing to embody that authentic old-school charming feel. This is a sound few NWOTHM bands are able to achieve, and it's a feature that also helps Stainless stand out from the ever-growing crowded US heavy metal scene.
It's hard to keep track of all these bands emerging onto the NWOTHM scene these days, but there's a particular niche category within the genre that is starting to become a force, and that's female-fronted bands such as Stainless. Aside from the odd few, this was something relatively unheard of in heavy metal back during the 80s, but now this is a trend that's starting to take over. This is not all down to the fact they have amazingly talented female singers at the helm, but also because the quality of the music matches the performance and energy these bands bring, and the way in which they merge the old-school magic with the modern era is commendable. Lady of Lust & Steel is yet another example of this; Stainless prove you don't need to reinvent the wheel, but still bring joy to those who still crave traditional heavy metal and are happy with nothing more.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 7 |
| Originality: | 4 |
| Production: | 7 |
Written on 26.03.2026 by
Written on 26.03.2026 by
An honest review that you don't necessarily have to agree with. Comments
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Posts: 64429
Damn good review, like l told here bands die but genre never dies. Enjoyable album.
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