Despite my extensive love for thrash from the late 80’s and
early 90’s, Coldsteel was a band I never got around to. For one thing, I
honestly did not hear about them until Stormspell stocked some of their
material. It’s hard to believe a band with a classic record would be so
overlooked in many thrash circles, but Coldsteel has not got the hype they
deserve. Luckily for us newer folk, the band is back with a new EP, “America
Idle”.
Coldsteel in 2013 really reminds me of Xentrix on “For Whose
Advantage”. Both bands really excel at that mid-paced semi-technical riffing. This
was an area rarely explored in thrash because many bands just don’t know how to
write thrash songs that aren’t fast. Two of the songs, “Ashes to Ashes” and “Blood
Secrets” are a true kick in the face. These numbers are speedy, aggressive, and
beyond heavy. “Ashes to Ashes” is the faster of the two, but “Blood Secrets”
definitely has more replay value. The other three songs are where some
listeners might lose interest. Like I said, they do the mid-paced thing quite
well, but if you can’t handle that lack of speed in your thrash, it might
bother you. “America Idle” (the song) is a great example of how this is done
well. If it weren’t for the annoying snippets of a child talking and some media
clips, this track would be truly masterful. Still, it doesn’t change the fact
that the songwriting is catchy. It is these slower songs that really let
drummer Hal Aponte shine. He comes up with plenty of creative beats, simply
because he doesn’t have to play them at 200 beats per minute (this will be most
noticeable in the title track). Vocalist Troy Norr is the other musician who I
really enjoy on this record. He of course has the gruff James Hetfield/Chuck
Billy voice, but he also has the ability to be quite a bit more melodic than
both of those singers. Not only are his vocals stellar, but the melodies and rhythms he singers are innately catchy. Some of his vocal lines are enhanced with contrasting gang vocals, while others use coinciding gang vocals ("Blood Secrets").
“America Idle” is one of the most promising EP’s I’ve heard
in a while. If Coldsteel can follow this up with some touring and an album, I’m
certain they’ll get a much wider audience than they’ve ever had. Even if you
weren’t a fan of the aforementioned Xentrix record, give this a shot. It’s not
anywhere near a clone of that; it’s just the only album I’ve found that even
comes close to it. If you are a fan of metal with songwriting that is just a
step above, pick up “America Idle” immediately!
Be sure to check out and like Coldsteel on Facebook!
Highlights
"America Idle"
"Ashes To Ashes"
"Blood Secrets"
Final Rating
4.2/5 or 84%.