Witch Cross

Man, it gets the ol' jean jacket sleeves all erect to see the name Flemming Rasmussen involved; the legend mixed this, which is this Danish band's first full-length since 1984's Fit for Fight. It makes sense though, because this sounds like it was written and recorded in 1985. "Ride with the Wind" is a Saxon-esque number (musically, lyrically, vocally) about driving fast on the highway, while "Metal Nation" is a half-successful attempt at writing a metal anthem. There are shades of Priest all over the place, mainly in the guitar work, while the vocals are more of an understated Saxon kind of thing. Musically, Axe to Grind flirts with classic, tried-and-true trad, and slightly more frantic NWOBHM fare, all of which works. The slower, more plodding numbers, like "Part of the Machine," are way less fun and effective. These guys know how to rock old school, and while the trad metal fan has heard this album before, they'll likely enjoy hearing it again.