Antioch III: Wings and Warlocks

Perusing its gnarled discography pages like knurled mages, we are, having given Antioch's sophomore full-length a cursory, chin-jabbing spin or so...That is, aside from a paltrily crooned/liberally "scream-a-fied", heavy-on-the-trem flicker-er in the six minute quagmire which is "The Stand of Time", each and every track rocks like mad, in the process exemplifying multiple endearing traits inherent to this subtly heralded, lone-guitar formation out of Windsor, Ontario, as well as progenitor of a scabrous heavy metal trilogy beginning with 2015's Antioch II: First Strÿke (which succeeds a titular, six-song EP from '14), followed by Antioch III: Wings and Warlocks - the here subject of this review - and most recent Antioch IV: Land of No Kings (essentially, the A-Team's apotheosis).

Released digitally and independently through Amazon, the quartet's 2017 offering is also available on CD under Marquee Records, along with, a year later, old-school, limited edition cassette, courtesy of Rapid Fire.

The reason for the above has much to do with Antioch's hard-driving and gritty, meaty momentum featuring loads of grooving, mid-tempo riffs and conservative albeit wizened and Judas Priest-ly, leads which, as with ideal "puttanesca" spaghetti sauce, bring out tracks' flavorful, if not downright menacing and battle-some, juices, or essences. You could also liken the effect to basting Frank's Red Hot on everything in sight, should the gripping-ly fulminating/highly Halford-esque overtures of opener "Wings of Pterodactyl Fire" - in addition to sizzling brand instantly effected on the listener's forehead - be of any indications.

Duly, now, dig the catchily fist-pumping refrain and ripping pipe-bomb of a lead blast intersecting latter, alongside anthem-ic stamp(ede) of sweet retro-rocking successor "Culling of Souls" (its free-wheeling solo section trumps any other, in this finger-licked respect), a true 1980s-like ring-dinger thanks to its slambashing and pumped, hand-clapping/drum acapella mid-stomp as well as speed bag evoking blast beats, at the outset...Already distinctive, at this juncture, is front man Nicholas Allaire's caustically vituperative, (Jaime) Hooper-ish caws which contrast nicely with his virile upper-mid range, still on the verge of reaching singular, tell-all hallmarks of ineluctable dependability.

Hell, on further highlight "Forged In Light", one is treated to some welcome and reflective, perhaps even wistfully cathartic, vocal and instrumental moments of High Spirits and/or Idle Hands style, sunnily despondent bliss, however wryly or paradoxically. He! The depth(s) of later cuts such as the back-to-back "Return of the Warlock"/"Where The Dagger Lies" and closer "Heavy Fire" - best song title nominations, milads, are but exhausted! - smack of melodic NWOBHM finery akin to Cloven Hoof and Legend, for example, whilst "Godbreaker" can be interpreted as none other than a Godzilla-size Manowar tribute of the first, not to mention, fallen, order.

Unfortunately, wicked Canadian bands such as Antioch, Riot City and Traveler, from coast to majestic coast, will always wrestle with detractors acting out (of) their most inane, or rather, persnickety, motives. Who cares if they sound a whole whack of a lot like the masters of daze of yore, so long as that Catherine wheel is mightily spun, along the way...Aye?