Genre: Heavy Metal
Country: England
Label: Dying Victims Productions/Crypt of the Wizard
Year: 2021
Heavy Sentence are hailing from Manchester, England a place where is mostly famous for its football clubs, its industries, rather than its Heavy Metal bands. Of course Joy Division are coming from “Cottonopolis”, as also Bee Gees, The Cult, Yes, Asia, Oasis, James, The Smiths, New Order just to name a few but only A II Z and Kraken if we are talking about pure Heavy Metal. Still Heavy Sentence are here to prove that Heavy Metal heat beats like a drum to the city of Madchester! Firstly as a (dynamic) duo featuring G. Howells on vocals and Tim Orrocks on guitars and drums they introduced themselves in 2017 with the 2017’s EP “Protector / Darkest Hour’ where they showed off a mixture of Midnight meets a sick blend of Motörhead and N.W.O.B.H.M.. With a new line-up [Bryan Suddaby on drums, Tim Orrocks on guitars, Gaz Howells on vocals, Mike Woods (that unfortunately died in 2019) on guitars and Ed Troup on bass] but with the same formula for the next year’s EP entitled “Edge of the Knife / Heavy Vengeance”, while their fan base were getting wider with small steps, but with crazy and loyal fans anticipating a full length studio album. The tape entitled “7 Inches on Tape” was actually…well the 2 EP’s on tape…so nothing new for their fans in 2019, but now 2 years after we are dealing with a serious proposition from a steady line up and of course finally with a full length album. Entitled “Bang to Rights” their debut is full of energetic, furious, rock ’n roll born, punkish, raw mid-tempo N.W.O.B.H.M. as the one we first heard 40 years ago from so many beloved bands from Great Britain. Heavy Sentence gathered the best elements from their heroes and blended so perfectly managing to put together influences from Omen, Lord Weird Slough Feg and Iron Maiden next to Midnight, Motörhead (Iron Fist era) and early Saxon -with some hints of proto Black Metal here and there in the aesthetic and the attitude as the drawn artwork cover of all of their works, so as in “Bang to Rights” can be seen -, and the final result sounding so vivid and ageless. “Bang to Rights” is an excellent album featuring ten well crafted, totally strong compositions to bang your head and is definitely a record to invest your money on. Highlights: the 80’s aura and riffs,G. Howells’ mixed raspy with soaring vocals; the blues-based solos and the songs “Edge of the Knife”, “Age Of Fire”, “On The Run”, “Cold Reins” and “Broken Hearts”. The album is out via Dying Victims Productions and Crypt of the Wizard on CD and cassette (DVP) as well as vinyl LP (CotW) formats.
