Austrian quartet Zepter, unleash the vintage heavy metal sound on its self titled debut album. This album is a blend of NWOBHM, speed metal and a tinge of psychedelic hard rock with a nostalgic production from 1982. The opening track, “Slasher on the Highway” opens with an eerie keyboard straight from an 80s slasher film, before the band kicks into a punkish tempo with harmonic guitar sweeps. It is a dynamic, headbanging track with a lengthy midsection. The track slows down briefly before speeding up once again with some rapid, tremolo picking. “Everlasting” commences with a galloping riff and tempo, with a few guitar fills for added kick. Guitarist and chief vocalist, Lukas Gotzenberger’s wailing vocals have a bit of soul on this track as well. The midsection slows down with a simplified riff and plodding bass line, as Gotzenberger and Stefan Bolda layout some duel leads reminiscent of Thin Lizzy. “The Slayer” is aptly one of the fastest and shortest tracks on the album. It is also the first of two tracks where the vocalist sounds like Zeeb Parkes, the original singer for Witchfinder General. The guitars and drums blast like rapid fire before the tempo slows down. The midsection is a dark groove that transitions to fiery galloping riff before the track ends. “Hit The Streets” is a straight forward metal number. It is one of the more accessible tracks on the album with its somewhat catchy chorus and midtempo, but slightly naff compared to the other songs.
“Exterminator” picks things back up with a faster tempo and pounding riffs with an attitude. The prog meets punk element on this track is class NWOBHM, like Iron Maiden on its first two records. “Dark Angels” is another dynamic metal track, with a gothic vibe and more effective than “Hit The Streets”. The band pay homage to obscure Swedish band Screem by covering “Lonely Night”, off the band’s 1986 demo. It is a faithful adaptation of the original song, and shows that Zepter’s influences run deep. The band concludes its debut with “The Lords”, a short, fast track with relentless kick drums and riffage. The spirit of Zeeb Parkes reappears, with the ethereal vocals complementing the track’s pugnacious drive.
Zepter does not reinvent the wheel, but it is not a carbon copy of 80s metal. Zepter showcases its versatility by fusing NWOBHM, punk and speed metal to strong results. The songs do linger at times, as the band has not yet honed its sound. It is vaguely similar to Judas Priest on its 1974 debut Rocka Rolla, but not as pronounced. However, when the band dials it in, it hits hard. The production has that vintage feel, particularly with the guitars, but it does not diminish the heaviness of the record.
Zepter will appeal to old school metal heads and folks looking for a new speed metal fix. It is eight tracks of old school metal that stays on track for the most part and is an overall strong debut. Zepter is a band to keep an eye on.
Check out the band’s page here: https://www.facebook.com/zepterattacks/
