Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Klaymore is an independent metal band infused with elements from the power, speed, and thrash subgenres. A mixture of memorable melodies, concise songwriting, technical prowess, a hint of humor, and riffs for days has culminated to form their “New Breed” of heavy metal.
Opening track It’s Alive is a beast of a song, with heavy riffs, pounding drums and solid vocals by vocalist Lee Prisby that show off his range and the depth of the feeling within the song itself. A good solid opener and one that will definitely bring the fans packing into venues, and drive them toward all kinds of mania. Matriarch starts off with pounding drums and a solid riff, followed by a quick solo, and then harmonised guitars. The vocals come in painting a picture of some sort of fell beast in the matriarch who is there to hinder you and leave you nothing more than a shell. Another beast of a song, and one that is sure to become a classic.
Temple of Dagon starts slowly, with a clean lick to begin with. The heavy tone of the rhythm behind the main lead and the robotic voice add to a sense of intimidation and fear for the listener, creating atmosphere. Then there is the riff, the key part of any good song. It starts with flavour getting the head moving. Prisby comes in with some sweet ass vocals, painting the image of a beast protecting the lair it has worked so hard for.
Swallowing Razors is an acoustic number, thoughtful, and a song that really shows off Prisby’s vocal abilities. This is a number that could well bring the lighters out at a concern to get people singing along.
This E.P. is a gem, it shows the raw talent of the guys in Klaymore and has allowed them to demonstrate just how much of a punch they pack. There are songs on here that will stand the test of time and should rightfully become metal classics. 10/10.