Warlord

And The Cannons of Destruction Have Begun... (1984)

An American spin on the mid to late period NWOBHM style with apocalyptic, end-is-nigh Christian themes (decrying the fast fading morality of the modern world and the imminent doom this has caused).  Tasteful enough, without being overly preachy or sanctimonious.  There are also a couple of songs about heartbreak,  loneliness and isolation. The songs feel short, sharp, and are written in a way that ensures they do not overstay their welcome.

The music is full of highly melodic and vaguely saccharine riffing and also excellent soloing / improvisational sections, both of which are based on the 'neo-classical' guitar style that was in vogue in the 1980s.  Consequently the album is filled with mid-paced, early US Power Metal riffing with an often galloping rhythm that is based on intricate scale runs and constructed of a liberal amount of hammer-on/pull-off,  slides, bends and pinch harmonic techniques. A lot of the riffing sounds like a single guitar version of Iron Maiden with the 'neo-classical' elements turned up to 11. Despite the mostly gloomy / downcast subject matter there are also some sections written in major keys that really drive the songs forward and add energy.

The bass guitarist is clearly talented,  and whilst he mostly sticks to the main melodic line of the song, he does experiment within its confines,  which really assists in creating depth in the absence of a second guitarist. Keyboards are also used a vital moments to either accentuate the guitar melody or play counterpoint to it,  which really heightens the sense of awe found within the music.

The vocals rise and ebb with the guitars, delivering anthemic/catchy choruses and with lofty ambitions pull off that 'epic' 'soaring' feel, or add to the emotional quality of the more sombre verses.  The band's greatest strength is their ability to play with a flourishing, basically melodramatic style.  It really does cling to the theatricality of the Metal at the time and ride it for all its worth. Not only does this have its many charms, but they somehow manage to retain sincerity. There is a fine line between executing this style and descending into parody - fortunately Warlord fall into the former category.