Review by Felix on October 28, 2021.

Strength is an important feature for a heavy metal band, because the entire genre is characterized by its vehemence, its claim to power and its uncompromising efficiency. We Bleed Metal seems to be the most moronic title since ages, but Leather, Chastain, Skimmerhorn and Kristoffersen show an attitude that allows only one conclusion: they bleed metal. Literally and in the truest sense of this word, I am listening to power metal. The heaviness of the album is absolutely impressive. But there are more features which tell us that we are confronted with a modern classic.

On the one hand, we are listening to an excellent guitar performance. In particular the solos are outstanding. While many other guitarists just produce some erratic noise instead of making good use of their artistic liberty, six string wizard Chastain creates expressive sounds. It is impressive to hear how he always finds the right balance. Without neglecting the necessary amount of heaviness, he follows the motto "let the music do the talking". His solo excursion makes the very strong, extremely heavy stomper 'Don't Trust Tomorrow' perfect. On the other hand, he is not the only star of the quartet. It's getting a little bit boring, and I apologize for that, but, as always, Leather's unique singing must be praised. She just has got the hang of it. Her interim placeholder called Kate was no amateur, nevertheless, her sometimes stressful voice was light years away from Leather's level. Moreover, Leather is always gaining ground, no matter how intensive the music gets. Inter alia the speedy 'All Hail The King' and the nearly impermissibly mighty 'Against All The Gods' present her in top form, but honestly speaking, this female power plant manages each and every challenge with great ease.

Speaking about 'All Hail The King', this song marks the fastest eruption of We Bleed Metal and speed metal fans should have an eye on it. At the other end of the product range, the elegiac 'Search Time For You' levels the soil. With the slowness of a bulldozer, the song develops its effect. Yes, the entire offering lies in close proximity to the band's outputs from the eighties, but believe me, I am not in the mood to blame the musicians for being a reliable partner for their fans. Quite the opposite, I like to know what I get, because exactly this non-commercial heaviness is exciting enough. It is all about the "how" and not about the "what". Not to mention the production. The album is ornamented by an immaculate sound. All songs benefit from a technical implementation which can be characterized with the attributes mega-heavy and crystal clear. The punchy double bass drum as well as the mastermind's guitar create an enormous pressure without taking the melodies the room, they need to develop their sustainable effect. 'The Last Ones Alive' fits the context, because it becomes a majestic steel colossus after its pretty tranquil introduction. The guitar tones of the verses appear as the bullets of a gun and, needless to say, the formidable solos add value to the song as well. In my humble opinion, the title track of The 7th Of Never remains their best track ever, but some of the here showcased pieces approach dangerously.

The pounding 'Secrets' heralds the triumph of pure metal for the last time and closes an album which clocks in at 45 minutes. Any deficiencies? Well, the sixth hammer called 'I Am A Warrior' does not hit the anvil with full force. It suffers from an uninspired one-tone-chorus, but this remains an isolated case and a mere blemish. I was skeptical about this output. However, despite its blatantly programmatic title, it could well be that this is one of the best Chastain albums ever. Time will tell and only one question remains open. Do you want to be metal? Then listen to Chastain, because they deliver the embodiment of an important feature of our beloved music genre: strength.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10