Steel City: Now It's Time

Steel City is an Italian Metal band that has released their debut full length CD entitled Now It's Time. This 10 track release is a modern sounding Metal record at times in the vein of Volbeat or maybe a Five Finger Death Punch but with the 90's flavor of a Faith No More. Each song sounds different than the next but all are done with power and straight ahead energy that help to make up for the less than stellar songwriting and subpar guitar playing that is contained within this record.

Almost every guitar solo attempted sounds like the licks were shoe horned into the allotted time and no care was taken to make sure that the leads actually worked or sounded good. To be honest most of the leads are just plain not good, run in and out of key and for some reason these painful solos are boosted in the mix! And while the vocals are better than the guitar performances, they sound as though the singer has a mouthful of something and can not quite articulate the words out of his mouth clearly and still these vocals are average at best. Songs like, "No One's Guilty" is a fast paced Rocker with a Volbeat type of chorus and a song like "Last Evolution" just is not very interesting and meanders lifelessly. The best track on "Now It's Time" is easily the song, "Faster", which reminds me of an Anthrax song from the Stomp 442/John Bush era, punchy, fast and good.

I will give Steel City an A for effort, but not much else. Some songs are long winded and go no where, while others are all over the place without much focus or clarity. This band is definitely not a band for everyone and they don't do a thing for me. Their songs are bland and their musical performances are equal to the task and in most cases their music just sounds a tad dated and unoriginal. At the end of the day if you're interested in a band attempting to mix heavier 90's Alternative with some modern Metal crossover elements, be your own judge.

Track Listing

1. Intro
2. Now It's Time
3. I Don't Belong
4. Last Evolution
5. No One's Guilty
6. Mandragora
7. Under Your Face
8. Where Is My Home?
9. Faster
10. Black Heart Monster Tears

Added: October 1st 2014
Reviewer: Butch Jones
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 1661
Language: english

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