Tension

Meticulously crafting intense bouts of melody and striking, vintage numbers directly out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal playbook with similar classically rocking, depth-defying verve as modern-day contemporaries Borrowed Time (RIP), Eliminator and Traveler is Leipzig, Saxony's Tension, a fairly recent Dying Victim Productions project (partially comprised of Prowler members) whose four-track, self-titled EP wastes no time proving its mettle and boundless potential, to flash-point where I find myself incessantly re-spinning its incredibly bountiful, lead-choked humdinger of a kick-ass, downright killer opener, "Midnight Traveller", more often than I can count, so ineluctably smooth and crisply ephemeral is the impression gathered therein.

In other, perhaps even more convoluted or ebulliently enthused words (Es tut uns leid!), the German twin-guitar quintet's overall sound paradoxically melds both the fantastical aura surrounding its fresh-toned, if not unctuously panoramic, cover art with the electrifying keen-edged veneer of its mildly banal, "high voltage" evoking logo, commencing with a sinuously grand guitar shuffle on "Midnight Traveller" - streaked as it by a delectably wound up intro lead amidst liberal cymbal crashes, while also paired with an atypically British sounding (i.e. loosely adventurous) bass line soon met by impeccably phrased early Iron Maiden type licks, poised natural harmonics, and, as garrulous counter-point to its overwhelming splendor, a fast n' furious, minor toned solo section superseded solely by the bass' sweetly encroaching presence and steadfast return to rambunctious form.

Thus, an astounding gallimaufry of influences is gleaned at the drop of a seagull-shat sailor's cap; so many I find myself yanking my hair out at the roots while attempting to nail 'em all, in vain, like a hungry frog leaping over lily pads with his tongue out, catching as many flies as it can. No fooling, "Spannung", my friends, is so jam-packed with wicked instances of fulsome, melodic bliss...It'd be daft to overlook!

Heretofore was I aware of several robust genre revivalists, but rarely have gleaned acts of this genuine and sanguine nature. That said, fans of Calgary's Traveler (!) will have a force(d) field day with Tension, as front man Maik H. "Tongue"'s slightly high pitched, albeit subtly nasal, vocals readily bring to mind Jean-Pierre's Abboud's - although in a less warble-y or arcane manner. At any rate, this gem instills a similarly soul-edifying, mesmeric fondness as said Albertan Spartans, fellow Krauts Syrence and Swiss seductress Sin Starlett.

"Hardrocker", for its part, invokes a rampantly shuffling Ice War - the festive "rock out as you feel like" lyrics neatly contribute to this - complete with gregarious gang chorals preceding a spectral or otherworldly symposium of far-out soloing in "Sinner". Ensuing further is braggadocious-ly swaying closer "The Mark", reminiscent of sultry old school heavy rock in randy vein of Scorpions and ah, Danish bandwagon Randy, with welcome smidgens of mentoring countrymen Black Fate. As (s)well, the production possesses a sly, analog roly-poly-ness which permits battery to rival the souped up, shredding soloing, alongside all manner of harmoniously weaved riffing.

Germany's Dying Victim productions is a powerhouse when it comes to underground worthies of such cult status. Furthermore, there're also well-tucked, however beckoning, efforts on behalf of Essen's Spiker, alongside Ljubljana, Slovania's Challenger. In short, fans of classic traditional heavy metal, young and old alike, need to hear Tension asap (in addition to Prowler, as well).