WARLORD - And The Cannons Of Destruction Have Begun... CD

Reissue 2023, slipcase, poster, extensive booklet, 8 bonus tracks, remastered and restored by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony.

Warlord were an old 80s legend despite not having much in the way of material – a bunch of these songs are rerecorded from their EP and would be redone again and again years later. But if they’re this good, then I am not inclined to complain. This thing is like 30 minutes long and doesn’t waste a note. The band’s sound is right in the sweet spot as metal was getting rid of its old hard rock influences but before it got the thrash fever later – so if you like the sounds of classic Maiden or Diamond Head or bands like that, that crisp, galloping riff-focused, kinetic classic metal sound, this is like mana from heaven. Interestingly this was recorded live in the studio. I think that adds something too, a kind of frenetic, electric energy you don’t always get from studio recordings – it’s just this cool extra jolt of energy hearing these dudes just fucking bash out these songs.