Heavy Metal Breakdown

With song titles as direct as "Headbanging Man," "Stormin' the Brain," and "Heart Attack," a band better deliver some pretty ferocious music. Luckily, Grave Digger doesn't disappoint. Hammering home one huge speed metal riff after another, Heavy Metal Breakdown starts off balls to the wall and just gets heavier. More importantly, though, Grave Digger has enough imagination, verve, and (despite the fact that they'd surely hate to admit it) pop smarts to keep the whole thing interesting. Though the cheesy album art and monk's cloaks might suggest a parody act, these guys have enough chops and energy to silence any naysayers. In a genre where groups are often judged purely on their adherence to a very narrow aesthetic blueprint and live in constant fear of being accused of selling out, Grave Digger isn't afraid to throw in some subtle harmonic variation and interesting arrangement ideas. Not that this music is radio-friendly or anything, but someone here knows how to construct a song and make it catchy, which, when it comes to music like this, is a rare quality indeed. Heavy Metal Breakdown sounds just like its title would suggest. In other words, it's a must-have for any fan of early speed metal and super-aggressive music in general. ~ Pemberton Roach