Nightsteel - S/T Review • Strah

Here we got an album that is a pure nostalgia trip to the 1980’s Metal music. “Nightsteel” is the self-tittled debut album of Nightsteel, a band formed in 2022 that works as a project of mastermind, songwriter, and bassist Bill Sam. As an interesting fact, he sucessfully managed to obtain the collaboration of vocalist Travis Wills (Crimson Glory, Infidel Rising), who due to his busy recording and touring schedule, wasn’t able to finish all of the songs, then also enlisted Craig Cairns (Tailgunner, Induction), Rob Lundgren (Reveal,
Mystery Moon), and Mauro Elias to sing on the remaining songs. Besides all of them, in addition, he contacted virtuoso guitar player Igor Paspalj (Guitarist of the Year 2020 by Guitar World and Guitar Player magazines), who agreed to play solos on two songs. Wow! Great team for a debut album.

Musicwise, “Nightsteel” is as diverse as the team of special guests that recorded it keeping, though, the 1980’s flame high. The music in here follows a formula I keep insisting on highlightining that is having each track different from each as most 1980’s bands used to do. To some extent, each track tells a story and it could not be different as each track had a different recording team of musicians. Of course, Nightsteel keeps a Power Metal instinct root in all of them. “Warlord’s Betrayal,” for instance, has a nice bass line opening it with frantic guitar riff plus a more epic kind of vocal provided by Travis Wills. By the way, he is the one who gives the album his Epic Metal feeling. I would say “Nightsteel” is a very organic and natural album as it seems, even though the mobility of the musicians, by tracks as “Eternal Fight.” It feels the band rapidly acquired a signature.

“Nightsteel” is a hodgepodge of influences, as it could not be different. Those influences can be felt in all tracks. However, and I posit it here, the band was able to imprint its own signature. While songs as the ballad “Whispers of the Heart” have a Yngwie Malmsteen feeling, others as tittle track “Nightsteel” have a Dio intent for the epic grip. On the other hand, “Eternal Fight” takes a more pop Metal road with keyboards and a very melodic vocal. “Calm Lake,” on the opposite, takes a more aggressive line with the guitars and vocals making a very interesting contrast with the previous track. By the way, the guitars here are very interesting. The very emotional voice provided by Mauro Elias helps a lot as well. That’s the beauty of the album, each track tells a different story.

Even though an album as “Nightsteel” might sound out of date, to whom it may concern, that is, Metal fans it sounds pretty updated because Metal music has this charateristic of being eternal. To many it is the way to be in touch with what was done in the past with a new point of view. New bands playing and composing based on old material is always a breath of fresh air.

Nightsteel “S/T” will released on April 11th via Cosmic Fire Records.