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I've always wondered why pure RAC bands never seem to be able to get good production for their records but bands who fuse RAC with another genre usually do fine. Case in point: 'My Heart, Blood of Mine,' one of the best produced and closest to pure RAC records I have in my collection. A combination of classic, German-style RAC and burly, bottom-heavy traditional metal, a bit similar to a simplified Hammerfall in places. The combination works magnificently- I've always felt that RAC works better with at least a hint of metal in it- and Whites Load manages to create a great, consistently fun record with their debut. Considering that this features ex-members of Nokturnal Mortum and other seminal Ukrainian metal bands, it's not a huge surprise that this is a cut above the RAC pack in both production and songwriting, and is also a great entry into RAC for metalheads who haven't really checked it out.

Apart from the usual RAC kinda-ballads (as always, 'Ian Stuart' and one other) the material here is uptempo and rocking throughout. Whites Load has an excellent talent for fusing aggressive, punky RAC riffs with more ornate '70s/'80s-style heavy metal riffs, never letting one dominate the other too much, and using both the augment the overall heaviness of the sound. The bassy, full, clear production is a big boon to this record, with the heavy, metallic riffs really coming out wonderfully thick and propulsive from the speakers. They're simple but not simplistic, and the occasional wonderfully over-the-top lead will pop up to give things some flair- overall, though, if you're seeking some sort of technicality, you might as well stay far away from this. Still, there's an essential talent for riffcraft on this album that's hard to deny- nearly every one is catchy, headbanging, fist-pumping RAC/heavy metal fretwork that never gets old, no matter how many plays you get through.

The other elements are of course excellent as well, with a straightforward but capable and suitable drumming style, a rich and occasionally playful, darting bass, and the sort of gruff, Slavic vocals you'd expect from this kind of music. The riffs are definitely the star of the show, but the rest of the elements bolster them and make them that much more exciting and fun- the bass in particular deserves note, a lot more creative and wandering than you typically hear in this style. The biggest highlight on this record is unmistakeably '88!,' an unbelievably awesome, very straightforward RAC track cut from the mold of Hate Society with a Slavic edge of heaviness, packing an awesome Cali skate punk guitar solo and fantastic vocal delivery that's almost impossible not to sing along with. Not that I'd recommend that at a party or something.

Whites Load unfortunately only released this solitary full-length album before splitting up, but it's a proud, eminently listenable epitaph that more people should listen to. If you're at all into RAC or are a metalhead looking for entry into the style, this is a great piece to pick up if you can track it down. I don't think I'll ever get tired of this one.