Carved in Stone

Of late, I've been nostalgically back cataloguing penultimate traditional heavy metal gems which strongly re-enforce my love of quote, "melodic metal" and intensely ear-pleasing, super harmonious bands which remain relatively obscure amongst Worldwide metal legions. While my fellow zealous albeit erudite Metal-Archives correspondent, Gasmask_Colostomy, essentially provided the straight dope regarding the Raleigh, North Carolina power trio which is Widow, it's high time I jump in the fray and energetically corroborate his gregariously enthused yet accordingly conducive take on its fifth full-length release overall and third in a row featuring solely the ax men as vocalists, Carved In Stone, released in 2016 on CD and vinyl under Pure Steel Records (the kick ass German label also revered for issuing likes of In Solitude, Savage Blade and Salem).

While I've only heard a few token tracks off previous releases in addition to 2011's Life's Blood (without at all gleaning any of the Lili fronted material), I've always felt Widow represented everything I dig about heavy metal: hard-driving, hook laden riffs galore, high sprung and downright liberating vocals and fist-pumping, sing-along choruses, as well as vociferous blazing guitar solos which, with one swipe of the fret board, grandiosely wipe my psyche clear of every day strife as well as the pain of existence. Florid you say? Well, dig the way the throttling opener, "Burning Star", eloquently swoops in with its auspiciously deployed guitar progression and litmus of neo-classical notes prior to fiercely seizing the day with a racking slider of a go-getting riff duly enhanced by a thickly registering rhythm section and menacingly muddy level of production.

Comparisons to class acts such as Cauldron and Spell are in order as the song structures poignantly vary between mellifluous, tension building clean passages and gripping-ly furrowing, at times literally soul burrowing and heart clanging tempo accelerations which fully engage the listener while making for ideal, urban night cruising music. A major step up on Carved In Stone is how the tracks eschew overt repetition and dull lyrical triteness. For instance, Life's Blood in my mind was the heavy metal equivalent of porn; once you heard a track or two, interest waned - heard one; heard 'em all, so to speak. As stated by Gasmask, even the more subdued and admittedly tame power ballads, "Time on Your Side" and "Live by the Flame" cosily fit within the album's massively accessible and non-committal format. If anything, the former serves as a wind/warm up pitch to the equally enthralling valedictory cuts whist the latter features a stellar synth infused bridge as well as masterful, maestro-like solo.

Said fist raising and freeing yet slightly less harried highlights include the haltingly hopping and chopping "Anomaly", the main crunchy, serpentine riff of which gives me the silly and amusing impression of wearing sweats and unknowingly engulfing the doorknob with a pocket, thus getting raucously thwacked by the door (!) whilst the cyclically tucking mid-paced, 80s evoking arena rock anthem "Of the Blood We Bind" humbly pays tribute to glam metal without inducing cringes or sardonic frowns. Suffice to say, the latest twin guitar tandem of John E. Wooten IV and Cristof Bennett compounded by Robbie Mercer's skilful drumming attack represents Widow at its peak. Should the guys keep improving like this, the sky's the limit. As a parting shot, I ceremoniously set the wickedly ribald and chthonic cover art as the background screen to every computer at my residence - you know, spread some behoving culture amongst my housemates and such!

Fans of classic hard rock, 80s metal and the "new wave of traditional heavy metal revival", even power metal, should make this their top priority at one point during this eternal summer!

I am very fucking glad that I crossed paths with Carved in Stone. Riffs and solos spill over from the 12 songs on this album, dripping down the sides of your player and crystallizing as hard stalactites that will never snap off. Although the music displayed here doesn’t have anything revolutionary to offer, there’s the greater satisfaction of knowing that this is exactly what you love done just the way you love it. Widow’s success with Carved in Stone comes as a result of having an instinctive grasp on heavy metal songwriting, since the songs here feature not only guitar brilliance but also possess universally fist-in-the-air choruses that beg to be screamed out by a room – scratch that, a field – full of raucous fans.

Surprising, then, that Widow are not a well-known name amongst the metal elite, but rather a dogged bunch from North Carolina who have been ploughing the same furrow for 15 years now. Maybe these guys just missed the boat of the fashionably unfashionable traditional metal revivalists such as White Wizzard, Cauldron, or Sweden’s Wolf (although they have actually been around longer than some of those names), but their impressive power and energy should have put them in a higher league than they currently are. There are all the usual Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Mercyful Fate flavours, but Widow have come from a different background, evolving from more primitive US power and speed metal traditions on their earlier work and soaking up classic juices more recently, including the awesome NWOBHM soloing.

John E. Wootton IV (aside from being a bit of a mouthful to call from across the road) has matured wonderfully in the vocal department, growing into a tough and soulful singer owing a little to more mainstream artists like Ozzy and Alice Cooper, as do some of the night time lyrics. The previous ventures with many different vocal styles (Widow once utilized clean, harsh, and female singing) are gone and for the better, though there remains plenty of backing vocals from Cristof Bennett to give some songs an epic, celebratory feel. However, it’s his nimble fingers, along with Wootton’s, that provide the highlight on the album, shredding through not only ripping solos on every song, but seasoning basic – even hard rock – riffs with catchy and playful fills, such as on ‘Nighttime Turn’, which proves memorable on first listen.

The guitars are incredibly detailed because of the intensely melodic playing, but the guitar tone is also important in emphasizing the prowess of the six-stringers, crunching with might and fizzing with almost uncontrolled energy. The classic chops are mixed with some tasteful acoustic work and some European speed metal, plus the technical modern flair that keeps even the closing ‘Let It Burn’ fresh and unpredictable. In terms of pure guitar action, it would be difficult to beat the fast riffs on ‘Of the Blood We Bind’ and the inspired speedy harmonic shimmer that drives the verses of ‘Wisdom’, but the truly amazing part is that each song has something to recommend it both musically and vocally, leaving zero dispensable tracks. The softer songs don’t seem out of place at all, ‘Time on Your Side’ touching a delicate nerve with its acoustic picking and battered hero vocal delivery, while ‘Live by the Flame’ profits from its quiet and loud dynamics.

It seems only fair to balance my praise for Carved in Stone with a speck of criticism. Despite the great songwriting, guitar playing, and vocals, there isn’t really anything here that you haven’t experienced before – this is played purely for enjoyment, not for progress. However, this might just be one of the best 21st century summaries of why heavy metal is glorious and should be sung from the rooftops. For a fact, I have already scared citizens in my neighbourhood by unexpectedly snarling some of the lyrics at them as I shot round the street corner on a wave of squealing notes. In itself, that should be enough to suggest you give this a listen. After this, Widow deserve to be huge.

Originally written in edited form for Metalegion magazine #2 - www.metalegion.com