Keepers of the Flame

Keepers of the Flame is the debut from Seattle, WA's Greyhawk, a band walking some of the more epic paths first laid down by bands from the western side of the Atlantic back in the '80s. They have a nice, crunchy guitar tone and the singer has a deep bellow that together give the songs an air of import and power. This style seems to be where Greyhawk's songwriting skills are best put to use. Songs like "Drop the Hammer" and "Ophidian Throne" are bruising and epic, like a horde of riders galloping across an ancient steppe. There are a couple of tracks, most notably "Masters of the Sky," where Greyhawk seem to be shooting for a more direct and accessible sound, closer to the end of the NWOBHM movement when a lot of those bands were getting radio play and record deals and writing songs that catered to those pursuits. They are OK, but the more rocking vibe doesn't jive with the rest of the record. It reminds me of the first time I heard Saxon's Crusader album and how the title track kicked some epic ass but then you had songs like "A Little Bit of What You Fancy" which sounded like Sweet and it just felt a bit disjointed. Still, the good stuff on Keepers of the Flame makes up the bulk of the album so if you like US-style metal such as Omen, Axehammer or even Thor, it is an album for you.