Past Of

Due to Co-virus contagion, invarious - not invidious - acts are slamming brakes on live tours, as well as studio time, but that hasn't prevented High Roller Records (heaven), this April past, from kicking out Finland's Satan's Fall out of ye olde vestigial trad-meets-speed metal cloud with a comprehensive, perhaps, even commemorative, Past Of compilation which comprises the twin-axed, Hel(l)sinki spawned quintet's shot-for-the-cycle disco, thus far (i.e. 2016 EP, demo & 2018 single).

Exactly how this wicked, kick-ass collection of crisply virtuous rhythmic passages, not to mention indelibly blitzing guitar solos, has yet to be reviewed is beyond me. Granted, I'd seen snippets of minute morsels on our good buddy "NWOTHM"'s youtube channel, but, like others, was also left musing on when a complete full-length ensues.

It's all so moot, though, as Past Of's rough half-hour of eight stellar, pedal-to-the-metal pistonations & intonations average an attention seizing three-and-a-half minutes, whilst also featuring apropos cover of Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone", circa 1986 - coincidentally, one of my earliest musical memories, back from when my clan embarked on nationally lampooned road trips to visit Cali kin.

Its Grinder inspired cover art aside, Past Of opens up to the Seven Nights demo entailing "Poisonhead", "Steel Highway" and eponymous "Seven Nights' before segueing, barracuda-like, unto Metal of Satan EP with remaining, fore mentioned SF tracks - which includes top highlight and quintessential night road gliding number, "Riders of the Night", a chromatically squealing, no frills, full-blown meat and potatoes heady throttler thanks to its evilly spilling main riff, itself an intricate dead-ringer for Striker's "Lord of the Sword", solo and all, but with a sonorously dark and exotic refrain to boot.

Bringing up the rear is latent "Forever Blind" single (and original procreator to said Kenny L. reprisal), which features a new vocalist/front man, albeit not quite an as appealing one; consider it more of a power metal-ish, at worst, decent metal-core, outlier which demonstrates the band's less raw or high n' dry side.

Overall, the main comparison/similarity conveyed to brain pan would be a quicksilver cross between Diamonds era Enforcer with Breaking The Spell aura Sign of the Jackal (from Italy, featuring a deadly oedipal songstress-with-verve), particularly on "Poisonhead", where I'm reminded of a fatal liaison 'twixt the former's "Live For The Night" and latter's "Night Curse' molester. Elsewhere, equally Finnish and kranked Cast Iron cum Speed Queen vibes permeate the fray, specially on the lyrically cryptic and jaunty-in-tempo "Seven Nights".

For my money, or aviator shades (and chains), place roulette ball on blackened rogue "The Beast Rises" and, to same degree, albeit for different reasons, "False Idols". Thusly, my goat and I are ruefully kicked in groin(s), with straightforward, kinetic power, and utmost, merry fulsomeness once track number "seitsemän" stoically shuffles itself into the roadway, in a stark In Solitude/Wolf manner - think the Swedes' "Beyond Is Where I Learn" and/or "Make Friends With Your Nightmares" - eventually delving into a hyper-actively flung, dual-patterned riff-fest chock full of debilitating, lead trade-offs fit for a flame-God, or two...

The Skull Fist-ish "Metal of Satan" is no slouch, either, particularly at 02:43, once the ax dudes let 'er rip with fierce, whip-lashing abandon, up there with any worthy genre re-generator-gator, whilst said "False Idols" comes across as pure, died-in-the-wool Wolf. Plus, the genially wrung vocals, in addition to catchy, sing-a-long chorus, along with banging return to finger-splayed form and mesmerizing top side lead etude, make sure of cementing Satan's Fall as one of the most fetching finds amid these branch Covidian times of strife and peril.

Insofar as technicalities go, the front man's range varies between a low Natur/In Solitude-like vocal despondence and much higher, at times downright stratospheric, Sleazer/Wolf mien capable of matching shrieks with any withered barrow crone at one's spiritual crossing. Although, in frankness, wish the bass was a bit more prevalent. (Nevertheless, it does a terrific job of introducing yet another highly Enforcer/Speed Queen-like track, "Steel Highway".) Drums, for their quiff parting part, sound somewhat detached from the proceedings, but such appoints a neat caveat to this coruscating effort.

Lest I forget, Satan's Fall's masterful take on Kenny Loggins' seminal "Danger Zone" fits this comp like thumbscrews to a knave, or worse still, "speculum oris" to recalcitrant gruel muncher's throat. For once again, we adequately hear the bass in full resounding torpor; the synths and upbeat drum beat, alongside brilliantly distorted stop and go power chords, only serve to heighten an already throttling and intense, radio-friendly and anthemic radio-rocker beyond anything imaginable. (Hell, the saxophone at song's outset showcases the epitome of innovation.)

As great (or not) as Past Of's cover is, I'm floored by such rip-roaring, excellent displays of talented six-string insinuation. All across the board, aside from minute vocal kinks, the gang is wound tighter than leather vested gal's clangorous makeshift garrote.

Truth be told, I initially desired to keep Satan's Fall's compilationary gem relegated to the back-burner, in grand, feted anticipation of the next Metal-Archives Virgin Review Challenge - - but, alas, am so fervently rocked, at this perforated juncture, that a gregariously extrapolated play-by-way is duly warranted...like cherry pie.

Anyhow, seasoned fans of melodic speed/thrash, as well as overtly classic and traditional heavy metal in general, are herewith behooved into checking this phenom out.

(Not tomorrow, not later, but now!)

"With a fist of steel
Your face will be hammered in
That sweet stuff you call sin
Is what I bathe in, mixed with your blood

Holy books, written in blood
As of today, shall be burned to the ground
False idols, falling gods
We bid you farewell, and rise up to the throne
No more lies, tears in your eyes
You've been forced to praise hail Satan!"