Untrad - Steel of Sin (2008)

It's always a pleasure to listen to some pure Japanese speed metal, and when a band is so unabashedly old school as Untrad then that pleasure is doubled. Horrible cover art aside, this is one of the better Japanese metal albums I've heard all year. They sound straight from the 80s, with a sound centered on beefy guitar riffing and infectious vocals. I was surprised this was only a debut album, though the band has been kicking around for a decade according to their site. I am reminded of the greats such as earlier Loudness, Anthem or Dead End, the latter at their best.

"The Gate of Sin" is a very simple intro, a few chords and choral male vocals to drive you forward into "The Sinner", which instantly opens the floodgates of nostalgia with its melodic speed metal riffing and excellent vocals. I was instantly reminded of listening my collection of 80s Metal Blade Records cassettes and compilations as a teenager. I also like the band's subtle use of the choral vocals which make this feel at times like a metal Western or something. "Till the End of Time" begins with a shrill metal clarion call, and the song is chock full of excellent old school CHARGE riffs. "God or Evil" starts with a meaner, slower groove but picks up into an anthem. "Walk on the Needle" is likewise dirty and groovy until the speed metal and vocal melodies kick in. Tracks like "Power" and "Into the Flash" are among the best here, this was pure bliss for me, though you might have to get used to the shrill lead vocals on the latter. Granted, "Striking the Core" does sound a little TOO much like a particular Judas Priest track during the chorus...

Untrad is a far cry from much of the metal coming out of Japan these days. It's not doused in synths and it doesn't sound like a Castlevania soundtrack. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it's excellent to hear bands sticking to those earlier roots and carrying them forward. I have always maintained that good metal is good metal regardless of the particular era it is aping, so long as it is tasteful. These guys are tasteful. If you like 80s metal ranging from Dokken and Judas Priest to this band's national predecessors like Loudness, track this down, it's good!

Verdict: Win (8/10)

http://www14.plala.or.jp/untrad/