Swedish traditional heavy metal warriors RAM return with the long-awaited, hard-hitting Against, out October 9 via Metal Blade Records. With their last album, The Throne Within, seven long years in the rearview mirror, fans have anxiously awaited the new offering. As usual, the burning question remains: was it worth the wait?
Coming in with a punchy runtime of about 42 minutes, this explosive offering hits the ground running with aggressive, fast-paced, riff-heavy tracks that effortlessly fluctuate between immensely catchy traditional heavy metal anthems and blistering old-school speed metal.
The standout tracks of the album—"One Vs. All," "Abattoir" and "Night Blade"—are all mandatory, adrenaline-fueled, body-moving tracks. The album runs into minor issues when a few mid-tempo songs bleed together in memory after a couple of listens. However, that slight blurring might just be a natural byproduct of relentless, repetitive headbanging throughout the energetic 42-minute journey.
Ultimately, this record oozes with a fun, sleazy, raw and fiercely energetic spirit that makes it nearly impossible not to immediately gravitate toward. This is the exact type of old-school album that makes me wish I still had a shitty old-school boombox to blow the speakers out while smoking cigarettes and drinking a cold 40 oz on my front porch.
TL;DR: Crank that glorious noise up.
★★★★ 8/10
RAM - Night Blade (official video):
Follow RAM
- Official Website: https://ram-metal.com
- Bandcamp: https://ramheavymetal.bandcamp.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RAMheavymetal
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/RAMheavymetal
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0dczfxuYhV69pplxDxzlwu
Promo provided by Earsplit PR and Metal Blade Records.