Cyberblade

Playing a comparatively stock, traditional style of science-fiction/warfare themed heavy metal as Worldly woman helmed legions such as Hess, Iron Heade, Kramp, Lady Beast and Sentinels is Lublin, (Southeastern) Poland's Shadow Warrior, which, following romp of promos in form of singles, demo and EP, now sets us aflame with eight-track full-length debut titled Cyberspace and released (digitally, on CD & cassette) under Ossuary Records - also exsanguinary provider of fellow countrymen Divine Weep.

Although we're serenaded by thirty-five minutes of accessibly pumping and engaging, twin axed mid tempo riffery compounded by loftily variable battery, as well as young, energetic front lass who passionately gives each mildly divergent song character and genial appeal, Cyberspace suffers, somewhat, technically.

For starters, the production is almost too salient, making the drums sound light and hollow at best of times; worse, still, their elevated spot within the overall mixing causes them to trump both guitars and bass; that is, leave them obscured in...shadow. Ex-Highlow, mid range songstress Anna sounds equally thrust, thus, to forefront, taking up more than enough (cyber) space.

Thankfully, her platonic, oft concise and discernable, husky squall manages to hit the right notes, even displaying Jody Turner of Rock Goddess-like charisma, with poignantly anthemic choruses highlighting both catchy carouser "Iron Hawk Rising" and bass dominated, trigger/ride happy "Squadrons of Steel". A raunchier, or less salubrious, stomping contortioner ensues to squat, stoic beat of "Demon's Sword"...(Urr, that rings mite too closely to 3 Inches of Blood's "Demon's Blade"!)

The latter's second half, along with soundbite-bookended opener, "Cyberblade" proper, are, in my (skull) view, the album's more memorable, perhaps even less derivative, instances; elsewhere, the prosaic, sped up (if not lamely titled) token thrasher "Demolition Hammer" is just that: token, not to mention guilelessly skippable, like last night's shepard's pie.

However, Cyberspace ends on top shelf high note with much improved, logically captioned closer, "Flight of the Steel Samurai", as its wickedly smooth and innocuous transition from becalmed, clean intro, to purely distilled Shadow Warrior, plus killer refrain, to boot, are, glibly put, hyper-spatial and worthy of select, robotic returns. (Also, it's nice to see the boys and gal pay tribute to their affinity for Japanese lore, in such sonorous, enthusiastic manner.)

While it won't make my top ten of 2020, Shadow Warrior's competent Cyberblade proves itself worthy pay-off for the Europeans' rapid surge, having founded only last year i.e. facial recognition technology's golden age.