DEATH DEALER – Reign Of Steel

It is always confusing when there are several bands with the same name. This is not the Canadian version of Death Dealer, but the Californian variety boasting several musicians who are well known to metalheads around the globe.

Some Extensive Name-Dropping

Let’s start with the biggest, smallest member of the band: Ross The Boss. Apart from his solo work, he is mostly known for having been a member of the mighty Manowar. Next is drummer Steve Bolognese, who worked with Ross in his solo band, but also released albums with Into Eternity and Baptized in Blood and played in several other bands. Guitarist Stu Marshall is still active in the bands Empires of Eden and Night Legion next to Death Dealer. Bass player Mike LePond has a huge list of references, but the most important is Symphony X, for whom he has provided his skills for more than two decades, plus literally several dozen more bands in which he has played. Last but certainly not least is Sean Peck, who currently also fronts Cage and The Three Tremors.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Nothing on the side of the musical skills of the protagonists, that is for sure. Reign of Steel is the third album of Death Dealer, so one would not expect a lot of new stuff from the outfit, and indeed, Reign of Steel follows the predecessor Conquered Lands right in its footsteps. The band creates a gigantic wall of sound; the two guitarists shred and fire riff after riff, alternating, combining, never ceasing, while the rhythm section tries to keep up and adds as much bang and depth to the inferno as possible. Soaring above it all, front siren Peck screams his lyrics of death, destruction and whatnot from the speakers.

That does sound a bit overwhelming and exhausting even when reading about it. It is even more so over the course of more than 44 minutes of a merciless metal barrage, which is the main impression throughout the album. If the album is broken down into its individual songs, it does not seem that way. A suspenseful intro, slower parts in “Devil’s Triangle” or the almost ballad-like but rushed-sounding “Raging Wild and Free” still breathe the feeling of a vehement onslaught waiting to happen, and groovy tracks like “Compelled”, which overstays its welcome by a minute or so, and “Sleeping Prophet” offer only little respite. The character of the band and album is rather shaped by relentless attacks like “Assemble”, “Bloodbath”, or “Dragon of Algorath”.

Not the Musicians, It Is the Sound

While the high-quality musicianship of the members of Death Dealer is not in doubt, Reign of Steel lacks the final punch by, well, trying to punch too much. Everything is loud and in one’s face. For example, just take the opening song “Assemble”, which, after the intro, begins blasting from all barrels with Peck’s over-the-top voice being omnipresent. Again, by itself not a bad song, it is the attitude across ten tracks that is exhausting. A fitting comparison would be Painkiller by Judas Priest, which in 1990 did the same thing and to this day is recognized as a musical monument, but whose production was and is lacking dynamics. And musically, Judas Priest is most certainly a main influence on Death Dealer.

The Sum Is Less Than Its Parts

The label speaks of a “sonic assault”, and that it is. Band, label, and producer seem to have achieved what they aimed for. Reign of Steel is a metal album through and through, a blueprint of Judas Priest taken into the modern age. At least, if Judas Priest were not still releasing albums themselves, which puts Death Dealer in their place every time, as Firepower beats Conquered Lands and Invincible Shield is better than Reign of Steel, because the music has space to breathe. Probably the british guys do not feel they have to prove how heavy they are, how they can be harder than everyone else, and don’t feel the need to sonically break down all the walls around them.

Still Good Metal, But Not a Classic

Each song on the third album of this US all-star lineup is good and enjoyable, but most hardly remain in one’s head long enough to be remembered and whistled the next day. But maybe that is not what Death Dealer is aiming for, their albums are metallic fast food, sufficiently filling for a while, but not a gourmet meal you would want to savor and remember.

The content of the album is fittingly advertised on the album cover art, where scantily clad female warriors fend off bloodthirsty monsters, blasting them with high-caliber weapons in an apocalyptic scenario mixing BattleTech and Warhammer 40K. That is a very fitting description of Reign of Steel and the hyperactive metal it unleashes upon the listener.

Tracklist

1. Assemble
2. Devil’s Triangle
3. Riding On The Wings
4. Bloodbath
5. Raging Wild And Free
6. Blast The Highway
7. Compelled
8. Dragon Of Algorath
9. Sleeping Prophet
10. Reign Of The Night

Lineup

Sean Peck – Vocals
Ross “The Boss” Friedman – Guitars
Stu Marshall – Guitars
Mike LePond – Bass
Steve Bolognese – Drums