Halford – Made Of Metal

I can’t say I really enjoy the solo material of Rob Halford! His success is due mostly to scenic appearence as his voice is no longer the one he had in his thirties!

There were five Live CD/DVD, for only four studio albums including the last one … Four in album in 18 years… that is really little for the Metal God. Especially when Winter Songs is counted as album, while it’s only metal christmas charols… Is this catchy and warning title of a flood of riffs and steel a sign of Rob’s return in front?

Undisputed opens the album and brings quickly evidence of the “new” Rob. Heavy Metal, classic, simple,steady and very effective! A quick song wich rings as a quiet force in action! A true return to the sources in structure and vocals. The two guitars solo, recalls immediately the beautiful hours of JUDAS PRIEST ! Then charges a Fire And Ice very speed “classic neo”, with a strong heavy verse , and as a contrast, a very melodic and aerial chorus. Well the hot and the cold one! Fire And Ice ! A true winning, so simple, direct and effective title!

Made Of Metal with a voluntarily “electro” intro! Regulated rhythmically by heavy guitars and dark on his verse, Rob HALFORD cheek with our emotions and delivers a slightly commercial chorus, but the magic continues to operate! Speed Of Sound continues on an always sustained rhythm and an “Old School” style , three chords rythm and a direct song line. Unstoppable! Coming next my favorite title, the inspired mid tempo, Like There’s No Tomorrow! Moods, rhythm and chorus that put the shiver! The class in a pure state! Till The Day I Die beginns on of a Blues/Texan arpeggio style, and then the guitars comes heavily and the band take us to the Far West! We Own The Night and Heartless are the most “commercials” but good songs of this album.

The long ballad Twenty Five Years, not bad but nothing more, Matador that could have been written for HELLOWEEN, surprising but not unpleasant, and then Know We Stand A Chance, not poor but too linear. At last The Mower, the single released in June wich had divided the fans! I think this title was really not necessary on this album, a jerky rhythms and a to much yelled song. I wonder why they chose such a song to annouce a relativly more melodic and aerial album.

In summary Made Of Metal is an excellent surprise, I even can talk about true blow of heart 2010! Those who await a very stong an heavy album will surelly be dissapointed but the more melodic classical fans who expect more hard rock, blues tempo in an 80’s style will surely love and welcome Rob in their stereo systems!