Holy Grail – Crisis In Utopia
Release Date: October 26, 2010
Highlights: My Last Attack, Fight To Kill, Crisis In Utopia, Immortal Man, Chase The Wind, The Blackest Night
I grew up on the classics but over the years, heavy metal changed identities. Bands adopted down tuned (sometimes 7 string) guitars, muddy production and even the vocalists gave up actually singing for growling and screaming. While I dig a lot of these more modern bands, I find myself missing that classic sound. 2010 for me will be the year that classic metal rose from the ashes only to be reincarnated by a younger generation. Holy Grail stands head, shoulders and fists above the rest and their debut album “Crisis In Utopia” proves this as a fact. Holy Grail is made of up five young men that are not afraid to wear their influences on their denim sleeves. Influenced by the early greats such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and many other NWOBHM bands, Holy Grail offers up “Crisis In Utopia” which is an album that is classic metal in it’s own right yet very much modernly relevant.
“Crisis In Utopia” features the amazing dual guitar work of guitarists Eli Santana and James J. LaRue that would make Adrian Smith and Dave Murry (Iron Maiden guitarists) salute them with approval while the rhythm section of Tyler Meahl and Blake Mount beckon the ghosts of NWOBHM past such as Angel Witch, Diamondhead and Venom. Vocalist James-Paul Luna is a classic metal singer that sounds far more classic than his youthful years. He sings with all the power and range of a singer who has obviously cut his teeth on the greatest metal singers in heavy metal.
Rarely does a band put out an album that makes me clinch my fist and pound it on my desk with approval but leave it to Holy Grail to do just that. “Crisis In Utopia” is chock full of classic metal anthems full of thundering double bass drums, harmony lead guitar and enough sweep picking that would make Yngwie Malmsteen feel threatened. The band shines on every fucking song on this album. It’s nearly impossible to pick a particular favorite song but if I had to pick the band’s signature song, it would be “Fight To Kill.” This is a song of epic proportions that has Luna’s vocals soaring to face melting heights as if he were riding on wings of destiny. The tempo changes and ripping guitar work make this song literally untouchable by all. I have yet to hear a metal song that has ripped me a new one like this one in a long time. I just can’t get enough of it.
While Holy Grail’s influences ring out loud and clear, they still manage to take it all, melt it down into molten metal only to create something that is all their own. The song “The Blackest Night” is a prime example this. This song just screams Mercyful Fate yet while the influence is there and very obvious, it is 100% Holy Grail. Mastering the art of turning your influences into something of your own is something Holy Grail has done. “Crisis In Utopia” in my opinion is the album to bring back this classic heavy metal movement and puts Holy Grail on the throne of them all. With an album this strong, it makes me very excited to see what lies ahead but for now, I’m more than happy to stew in this pot of metal awesomeness. “Crisis In Utopia” is an instant metal classic that puts them at the throne and wearing the crown as the rightful leaders of the NWOTHM movement!
About The Author
