Axxion join the legions of traditional heavy metal bands out
of Toronto, and though the band is only a couple of years old, they have plenty
of experience. With former members of Skull Fist and Midnight Malice (among
other bands), Axxion are well versed in writing old-school classic heavy metal.
On their debut record, “Wild Racer”, Axxion prove that they’re ready to compete
with giants like White Wizzard and Striker.
“Wild Racer” is the type of record that lives and dies on
the quality of its songwriting. The music will do nothing to surprise you. It
is straightforward, with plenty of guitar solos, riffs and heaviness, but it
ultimately comes down to the quality of the songs. In this case, they’re all
pretty good. Most songs are high-speed assaults, but the band is able to slow
things to a more rocking tempo on occasion (“Still Hungry”). Even after just
one listen, quite a few of these tracks are likely to be memorable. This is due,
in part, to D.D. Kerr’s high-pitched vocals. He tends to use that range where
the vocals are understandable, but are never completely clear. There’s
definitely a bit of attitude to the way he sings on “Wild Racer”. In addition, the guitar
work of Sir Shred really strikes a great balance between being melodic and
memorable, and being a full-on shredding assault. Even when he is playing
extremely fast, the parts are generally quite interesting. The riffs, drumming,
and bass playing on “Wild Racer” are pretty standard. This isn’t a bad thing;
I’d even compare it to a band like Accept or Axel Rudi Pell where those
elements work together to allow the vocal and guitar melodies come to the
forefront. One element that Axxion have that few of their contemporaries have
mastered is to have some subtly to the music. Most other traditional heavy
metal bands are bludgeoning you over the head with how metal they are, how fast
their songs are, and how many guitar solos they can put on a record. Little of
what these other bands do feel as natural as the songs on “Wild Racer” do. This
is a huge draw for people who aren’t as into newer metal bands, and even for
someone like me who is a big fan of this style, it makes Axxion a refreshing
change of pace.
There isn’t too much else that needs to be said about “Wild
Racer”. It’s a very solid debut album from a band that has a lot of potential. This
style has been done a lot lately, but Axxion still deliver a record that is
well worth hearing.
Highlights
"Wild Racer"
"Nightstalker"
"Still Hungry"
Final Rating
4.1/5 or 82%.