Made Of Metal

For nearly four decades, Rob Halford has been one of the most influential singers in metal, and ever since he formed his band Halford, he’s had a pretty easy time reminding the world why. On Halford IV: Made of Metal, the metal god and company once again unleash an album of classic, New Wave of British Heavy Metal-influenced goodness for metal fans to devour. Kicking off with the galloping aggression of “Undisputed,” Made of Metal quickly establishes itself as an album that’s not satisfied with being merely driving, but aims to be empowering. Tracks like “Thunder and Lightning” and “Like There’s No Tomorrow” wouldn’t feel out of place in an action movie training montage, painting a picture of a protagonist steeling himself as he prepares to do the impossible. While songs like the odd country/metal ditty “Till the Day I Die” and piano heavy power ballad “Twenty-Five Years” offer slight diversions from the old-school intensity, Halford largely to sticks to what it's best at: straight-ahead heavy metal. Once again, Rob Halford shows that sometimes the old ways are the best ways with an album of what is essentially heavy metal comfort food, a biting sonic reminder of the glory days of the NWOBHM movement that takes that classic sound and adds enough new ingredients to make it feel fresh. ~ Gregory Heaney