Following hot on the heels of the one-man NWoBHM avalanche led by Brian Ross of Satan and Blitzkrieg, Swiss retro rockers Amethyst throw their chrome dueling glove into the arena with their rollicking, rocking debut Throw Down the Gauntlet. With tongue-in-cheek cover art and a logo ripped straight from 1979, these chaps mean serious throwback business and aim their sound at a time when metal was just beginning to coalesce into something distinct from hard rock and punk. They borrow inspiration from early Iron Maiden, Angel Witch, and Thin Lizzy, which means bouncing, buoyant gallops, swirling dual guitar harmonies, bubbling bass lines, and writing designed to stick in your head craw. But is it even possible to extract any more precious metal from this era? Thousands of bands have already scoured and strip-mined that territory, so what could be left?
As soon as “Embers on the Loose” kicks in with a rumbling drum cannonade reminiscent of Metallica’s “Hit the Lights,” metal nostalgia infects every square inch of your Soundsystem. As a classic metal gallop erupts and the entirely vintage vocals of Fredric Ekbørg make their grand entrance, you’re warped back to the days of parachute pants and leg warmers. Instantly loveable sounds are in ample supply and there’s something very earnest in Amethyst’s approach that rings all the bells and rocks you right to Hell. It’s ebullient, hard-charging fun with a joyous sense of release and devil-may-care charm. The guitar work is so period and the riffs and harmonies stick like molten back wax. “Stand Up and Fight” follows with a Cirith Ungol-meets-Budgie sound that’s impossible to resist. Ekbørg’s vocals mesh so well with the simple but elegant riffs, and the chorus is an anthemic wonder. Heavy Maiden-isms hit with “Won’t Do It Again” with so many riff lines reminiscent of their debut that it smacks of Grand Theft Eddie. It’s so much fun though that even Steve Harris himself would throw horns and slam a room-temperature beer in appreciation.
Throw Down the Gaunlet benefits from consistently engaging songwriting and a sense that Amethyst don’t take themselves too seriously. You’d expect a song titled “Rock Knights” to be the dumbest shit you’ve heard in forever, but it’s a winner pairing The Ramones’ punk swagger with NWoBHM noodling. Likewise, “Queen of a Thousand Burning Hearts” shouldn’t be as enjoyable as it is, finding a rudimentary groove and decorating it with upbeat harmonies that get into your bloodstream no matter how jaded of a curmudgeon you may be. The piece de resistance is closer “Serenade (Under the Rising Moon)” where Amethyst use all their weapons to craft the ultimate retro rocker without the slightest trace of modernity. Like the best potato chip, you can’t have just one spin of this monsterpiece of throwback metaldom. It’s one of my favorite songs of 2024 and it reminds me of Tanith in good ways. The songs are all fairly tight and only “Running out of Time” feels slightly underbaked. At 41 minutes, Gaunlet is an effortless spin and the production suits the target era with a warm, organic sound that gives the guitars more nostalgic twang than actual menace.
Because riffs and harmonies are the lifeblood of the NWoBHM sound, success depends heavily on the fretboard heroics of Ramon S. and Yves B. They’re up to the challenge, diving deep into the playbooks of legends to craft an album full of raucous, cheerful leads and a country ton of righteous harmonizing that coats the brain with endorphins. These cats sound like they’re actually from 1981 and Fredric Ekbørg’s vocals couldn’t be more pitch-perfect for the style. He sounds like a cross between Angel Witch’s Kevin Heybourne and Cauldron’s Jason Decay, and though his slightly high-pitched twangy delivery won’t bowl you over with power, it’s endearing as fook and reeks of authenticity. Miguel S. also delivers with busy, bubbling basswork. He’s everywhere in a bouncy Steve Harris way and that’s a good thing.
Throw Down the Gauntlet is tons of fun but it also hits like a cotton candy sugar high. It’s easy to digest and jacks you up but it’s hard to say how long and strong the high will be. I’ve spun it a bunch but will I be in another week? At its core, it’s gateway metal for kids in 1981, and it’s been done a million times, mostly by bands led by Brian Ross. That said, Amethyst are very good at this and ready to win over fans of the olde. Now pick up the Gauntlet and see what happens.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: No Remorse
Websites: facebook.com/amethystrockknights | instagram.com/amethyst_hardnheavy
Releases Worldwide: September 27th, 2024
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