The Apparition

I was sitting around wondering how much longer it'd take to finish Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life, when, combined with the desire to not feel like a total bum, realized Metal Inquisitor's ancient debut from 2002 remains virginal to this ever divided day. It also shows how original instances - such as the too tough and over-the-top Yakuza 0 Dojima family fight which caught me off guard at the end with a super cheap quick-time-event sucker punch - often surprise and bewilder in their novel simplicity compared to modern renditions.

In all, the retired Germans threw down five relatively great albums during its decades long formation, with my preferred consisting of 2014's Ultima Ratio Regis, and 2005's rustic but every bit as lowbrow and cool Doomsday For The Heretic following close behind - in same manner as Night Demon's Darkness Remains builds and improves on its rollicking yet unrefined predecessor's integrity and grit.

Impressively, Metal Inquisitor's line-up varied very little, if at all, over the years, so here, we get to hear the vanishing act's opening old school flourish, a three-quarter of an hour affair which even includes a smashing cover of beyond-the-iron-curtain speed fiend Open Fire's" Twardy Jak Skała". If my Polish is still accurate, this means "Rock Hard"...Słowo!

Musically, these then-lads were on fire themselves as soon as the anthemic slow-grinder "Take Revenge" weaves its heavily chromatic way forward, constructing the early chromosomes of an emerging powerhouse known for titillating turns of translated phrase liable to keep one in stitches for days. Let me tell you, upon hearing Ultima Ratio, I was so smitten I listened to almost nothing else for close to a month. It also helps that axe men Thomas Pohren and Jochen Blumenthal's organic, rough and ready chops sound as edgy and developed as say, those of ole James and Kirk (and Dave) at camp 'Tallica back in the Kill 'Em All era. Ditto for Havoc's burnt rubber drums and Kronos's raw boned bass.

Tinged with basic NWOBHM goodness, the trad metal leaning riffs will assuage any who are already chugging the wine and chomping the host at the metallically inquisitive parish. Be it on skippy zinger "Zombie Driver" (an actual video game title), with El Rojo's kooky introductory whistle, or hairpin shuffler "Run For Your Life", as well as top middling, longest spectres "Daze Of Avalon" (not a shampoo, but a helluvan ode to Brucie derivative Maiden), the classic mid pace stomp of "Watch The Phoenix Die" and weirdly named highlight "Bernado Gui", there's something for everyone, so long as they're privy to throwing, or maybe even growing, horns. In fact, The Apparition surpasses by far 2019s's Panopticon.

A distinct lack of guitar solos is also worth noting. However, when they occur, are invariably of the prickly goose bump procuring variety. I particularly dig the fanciful fretwork surrounding "Bernando Gui", whilst the brief but densely packed dual harmonies of "My Sacrifice" get their point across in an as-refreshing manner as Ultima top hits "Servant of State" and "The Pale Messengers". Triplet galloper "Get Down" fails to offend with its gutsy sing along refrain and general fist pump mannerisms - albeit, not that kind. Such a fleshed out, vintage experience wouldn't be whole without "The Duke", as it sounds cookie cut straight out of Judas Priest's 1980s catalogue.

Alongside fabled Teutonic likes of Booze Control, Midnight Prey and laid up Forensick, Rhineland's Metal Inquisitor goes down as one of my prime instigators of true traditional heavy metal worship. (We can only hope for their eventual return.)