Cyberblade

Since their inception last year, Poland’s Shadow Warrior has been hard at work. “Cyberblade”, the band’s debut record, comes after a slew of singles, an EP, a demo, and even a live album. Right from the very start, it’s evident that this is a tight, energetic group. They live in a very comfortable bubble as far as traditional heavy metal goes, but that in no way will diminish your enjoyment. Boasting a number of catchy songs and fun solos, your appreciation of “Cyberblade” is dependent on one key factor: the vocals. The band’s singer definitely emphasizes passion over technique. She is no Bruce Dickinson clone, instead opting for a more limited, yet intense range of a singer like Doro. This is effective, at times, but also can make some of the more demanding sections a challenge.

To further complicate matters, Shadow Warrior’s songs really emphasize the singing. Outside of the killer lead guitar sections, the guitars tend to hang out in the background, allowing the vocals to take centre stage. Again, you can’t criticize the band’s enthusiasm; this album will hit you in the face whether you want it to or not, but that does largely come from the singing. The riffs fall a bit flat, the bass is primarily absent, and the drums tend to be straight forward throughout the record. The production seems to suggest this was intentional; the vocals are far and away the loudest part of the release, so much so that when they are absent, you might reach for the volume knob.

All that said, Shadow Warrior does manage to string together some great melodies on this album. In particular, the choruses to “Cyberblade” and “Demolition Hammer” are exceptional catchy. The latter is a good instance that would show how this band could be elevated with an even better singer; the melody bounces around with each quarter note, and it can get a bit warbly at times. By the time “Iron Hawk Rising” comes around, you’ll notice a pretty consistent trend of a rocking song that peaks with its memorable chorus (though songs tend to alternate between mid-paced and higher speed efforts). This doesn’t really change as the album goes on, and it’s a tried-and-true formula that has worked for many bands over the years. Ultimately, if you fall in love with this singer’s voice, “Cyberblade” is going to be an all-time classic. If that isn’t the case, however, it remains a service record amongst a pile of numerous similar releases.

Originally written for Skull Fracturing Metal
https://skullfracturingmetal.com/