After really digging this Spanish band's 2024 debut album, Night Stalker, I was happy to see their second full-length album, Rising, show up in my review queue. More awesome, '80s-style heavy metal is what starts pumping out of the speakers from the get-go and the grip Savaged have on recreating the analog feel of 40-year-old recording technology has not loosened at all. The riffs are gold, the drumming is loud and proud, and singer Jamie Killhead is again all over the place with his high-pitched wails but in an awesome way that truly suits the music. I could listen to Rising all day long but the songwriting on this one is safer and less adventurous than Night Stalker, and the songs run together a bit. They are all quite good but simply not as individual as on the previous album. Don't let that stop you from grabbing a copy and tuning up the air guitar; it is absolutely worth it, but grab a copy of Night Stalker as well if you don't already have it. Both albums are worthy additions to your collection if the pure steel of '80s heavy metal gets your fist in the air.
