Hamerex - Traitor (2016)

Genre - Heavy Metal

Label - Code 7 - Ix Music

Track listing:

01 - Traitor

02 - The Dark Tower

03 - Dead mountain

04 - The Nameless One

05 - Eyes Of Deceit

06 - The Abyss

07 - The Evil Within

08 - Journey's End

Hamerex return with their brand spanking new album in the form of Traitor, and what an album it is too! Clocking in at just under the fifty minute mark, Traitor is a brilliant slab of pure unadulterated metal!
Opening with the title track, Traitor, the guys start things off with a mighty slab of dark doom laden riffage, that at the same time seems to be uplifting and positive too! Something like the bastard child of a Paradise Lost and Disturbed union! Next up we have The Dark Tower, a song that carries the instantly recognisable Hamerex sound, cool chugging riffs and silk lead guitar work combining with driving drums and soaring vocals. Dead Mountain follows, a tribal influenced slab of majestic metal, there is just something really comforting and familiar to this song. Next up we have The Nameless One, which is quite possibly my favourite song on the album. Think Iron Maidens Still Life and Virus, everything a good classic metal track should be, cool atmospheric sections, exploding riffs, subtle to soaring Dickinson-esque vocals, absolutely perfect! The pace quickens on Eye's Of Deceit, with its catchy rapid fire riffs and rhythm section. This would have made a great album opener as it really does leave you hungering for more!
The Abyss is up next, a great instrumental and a song that begins with a simple melodic riff  that echoes along until the rhythm sections kick's in and builds the songs atmosphere and power until it becomes a true metal giant. The Evil Within is the albums penultimate and longest track clocking in at around the nine minute mark. Imagine Dickinson or Blaze Bayley for that matter, fronting Slayer or Exodus and you get an idea of how this brilliant track comes across, pure unadulterated metal!
The Album closes with Journey's End, with its slower Sabbath meets Maiden like riff, that just keeps growing.

Traitor really is a grand old slab of brilliant unadulterated metal that see's the rhythm section of bassist Marc Hood and drummer Darren Kelsall, laying the solid foundations for guitarist Steve Blower and Andy Firth to build sonic slabs of metal mayhem upon on. All topped off with Steve Blowers solid and at times Bruce Dickinson like vocals.

Vary Highly Recommended!

Rating: 10/10