Gypsyhawk – Patience And Perseverance
Highlights: Gypsyhawk, Planet Former, Eyes of Ibad, Rebellion On the Western Shore, For Those Who Love the Lizz, Blackhaven, The Rabble and the Ruled, Guidance, Defenders of Good Times
Release Date: July 6, 2010
Gypsyhawk is a band that wears many hats when it comes to trying to describe their sound. I hear elements of Thin Lizzy and Motorhead making them a great rock n’ roll band with lots of grit and attitude yet the the music possesses all the qualities of the classic NWOBHM bands with twin guitars that summon the spirit of bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. In a nutshell, just imagine in Phil Lynott and Lemmy had a kid who formed a NWOBHM band. Yeah, exactly. What could possibly suck about that? The answer is absolutely nothing.
“Patience And Perseverance” is an outstanding collection of extremely well produced and well played classic rock and metal. Kicking off with the song “Gypsyhawk” is a fantastically up beat piece of classic metal. The song is an awesome way to get introduced to the band but is by far the weakest of the album. Trust me, I mean that in all due respect. That song is so good but it’s songs like “Eyes of Ibad”, “Planet Former” and my personal favorite “Rebellion On the Western Shore” that truly melted my face into a pile of goop. “For Those Who Love the Lizz” is even a heart felt and goosebump inflicting tribute to the late Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy. It’s totally obvious what an impact they made on these guys and it is great fun to try and pick up on all the Thin Lizzy references throughout. Lead singer/bassist Eric Harris’ vocals and bass playing possess a strong and commanding presence. The energy and passion in his voice makes you want to pick up a sword and follow close behind him as he fights the good fight against all that which sucks. Put this guy at the forefront beside Russell Allen (Symphony X) and Cam Pipes (3 Inches of Blood) and I’d follow them into battle any day.
Even though the album came out last year, I am happy that this one was brought to my attention and it’s a real case of “better late than never.” I remember earlier in the year when I interviewed Wolf Hoffman of the classic metal band Accept, he said that he really wished that more of the new younger bands would carry the torch for the older guys so that the music will be kept alive long after their gone. I’d like to tell Mr. Hoffman that classic metal is alive and well and the torch is carried on by bands like Gypsyhawk. Now it’s just a question of how long can they hold on to that torch. All I can say is that with music and songs this good, I can only hope that they will carry it for a long time to come.
To get your copy of this album go to http://gypsyhawk.bandcamp.com.
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