Elegant Weapons is the new heavy metal supergroup featuring Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner, Rainbow/Vandenberg/Lords of Black/Michael Schenker Group vocalist Ronnie Romero, Uriah Heep bassist Davey Rimmer, and Accept drummer Christopher Williams, and their debut album is titled Horns For a Halo. As this album was constructed during the COVID-19 pandemic, bass and drum work on the album was completed by Pantera's Rex Brown and Judas Priest drummer Scott Travis, though neither are involved in the band going forward.
As you can imagine with the talents of those involved, Horns For a Halo is a dynamite heavy metal record, easily thrilling with its wealth of top-notch riffs and solos from Faulkner, tight rhythms, memorable songs, and Romero's powerful vocal delivery. With Ronnie being so busy with so many bands and projects in recent years, just as you get used to him in something he's moved on to three other things, but I'll argue that the singer sounds the most at home here with Elegant Weapons. Faulkner also sounds free to be able to go off in any directions that might not be appropriate for Judas Priest, like the Black Sabbath styled doom of "Downfall Rising" or the title track, both highly enjoyable songs with grinding, crushing riffs and Romero's menacing vocal. Other metal mashers here include opener "Dead Man Walking", the kick ass "Dirty Pig", "Do Or Die", and the venomous "Bitter Pill", just to name a few. And while the cover of the UFO classic "Light's Out" is well done, I'd have rather heard another original song seeing as how good the rest of this album is. Come next March of 2024, it will be interesting to see how this album stacks up against the new KK's Priest record and the upcoming Priest platter. I predict it will hold up quite well, as this is a big time winner folks.
Track Listing
1. Dead Man Walking
2. Do Or Die
3. Blind Leading The Blind
4. Ghost Of You
5. Bitter Pill
6. Lights Out
7. Horns For A Halo
8. Dirty Pig
9. White Horse
10. Downfall Rising
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
