Saviours

It may be fleeting at two songs but with the fortitude and dominance projected from Cavern Of Mind, California’s Saviours establish themselves as unsung heroes of the missing link between nebulous late ’70s British metal (the New Wave Of, if you will) and the later, more belligerent styling of early Metallica and Slayer. Thick riffs surge beneath barbed lyrics that prophesise the end of humanity while forthright drums maintain a steady groove. Guitar interplay abounds in ways only Clutch could counter, while the confidence and enthusiasm displayed here are obviously being mined by more recent bands such as Priestess. A strong accompaniment to 2006’s Crucifire, Saviours are clearly becoming more refined as they grow in years.