Demo 2021

Balanced (pH) perusal of Acid Blade's pedigree yields ulterior, yet additionally staffed, incarnation wrought by preferred name of Angel Blade (which clutched Finnish upstart Angel Sword, as far as ascended cult status acts go). Bluntly put, I favour moniker adorned (past) trio's initial no-name "demo", from less socially rocked 2019, as this hereby elevated, majorly differing, latently dual axed quintet's respective, equally three-tracked and brief 2021 Demo, sounds overhauled to point of utter unfamiliarity, not to mention sounding cut from less cathartic cloth.

It's as if orator Klay Mensana succumbed to invasive alien surgery or secretive military experimentation, as gone are his ephemerally fine honeycomb chants which spawned straight out of a dream cast Pandora's Box. At least A-Blade slays as always, wielding its instrumental light sabre like Luke Skywalker did years ago, besting Darth Vader despite memorably impressionable chopped hand lob off a perilous catwalk.

Simply, we glean impression of hearing full-blown, identity dissipated imposter a Multiverse away from previously highlighted, rather special and unique song-craft consisting of "Rock Nights", "Blast From The Past" (indubitably) and 'Angel Blade" proper. This refurbished time round, the Dresden outfit's stark departure, while not quite comparable to...Furby recording, begs pause for thought as to weigh both positives and negatives in regards to such Kafka-esque metamorphosis.

The guitar tones and streamlined production exude dry, clinical tweaks irreconcilable with previous foray. Klay's messy, at times, awkwardly breaking stride tricked me into thinking there was a brand new vocalist on board, altogether. Such stark contrast is like night and day. Further line-up changes include hire of exclusive bassist Sci-Man and replacement of Tension/(live) Sintage drummer Jonas Z. with Eric (non Duke) Nukem, whilst also dispatching secondary guitarist Alvin Goreman.

Shimmying upwind of these all-too-original tracks, regicidal intro "King Killer" presents welcome development in Sci-Man's bold, knockabout low-end prominence, which is easily on par, if not towering, over guitarists' contrived evolution decidedly more "metal" in essence than 2019's angelic offering - to my modulated ears, a seldom gleaned celebration of waylaid NWOBHM styled melodic hard 'n' heavy rock. (Barring tangent, countless killer obscurities await seasoned minstrel yonder at you-tube's "Rare and Obscure Metal Archives". Speaking from experience, such praiseworthy acts lurk in darkness whilst awaiting hyped MA band inclusion, notwithstanding hefty technical difficulties surrounding physical release copy location or moderator linkage.)

Whereas Angel Blade's choice attributes lay within arena of buddy's suitably enthused and vibrant upper stratosphere chants of a nostalgically mystifying nature, its more recent acidic doppelganger depends primarily on founding member/guitarist Luke Lethal and recently cast Mister Goreman's randomized flurry of lucidly playful, salty-as-fuck leads; to specify, a kinetically strung, most penetrative plethora of expressively explosive chops which shake one's core foundation within breezier, longer-by-a-hair middle track "Ablaze At Midnight". Indeed, such seizing supersonic effervescence, with catchy chorus in tow, commands successive acidulous returns.

Third and final toxic spillage, "The Tomb of Khentika Ikheki", assures rougher RAM-meets-H.O.D. vibes despite shrilly shrieked, over-the-mountain-top carolling excess removed more than ever from Dresden collaboration's prior heavenly influx. Regardless of Acid Blade's down-graded name change's enigmatic circumstances, this indie 2021 demo remains inspect-able, though not indispensable, gadgetry for which cursory purview poses potential system shock risk to fellow "Angel Blade" fans.