Slough Feg
Digital Resistance

[colored_box color=”grey”]Rating: 7.5
Label: Metal Blade
Website: Link
Author: Stella Papaspyropoulou[/colored_box]

“Digital Resistance“, according to their bio, is a semi-concept record about “the digital age not only in terms of music, but how technology affects life itself.” A cool concept for sure, but if not approached carefully, it has the potential to come off completely wrong. The album begins with the very folky “Analogue Avengers/Bertrand Russell’s Sex Den“. This track reminds me of the “Stonehenge” scene with the dancing dwarves from This is Spinal Tap. While it certainly isn’t a metal song by any means, it is good and still has a certain heavy quality to it. The rest of Digital Resistance is undeniably metal, so this song is more like a lead-in. Vocalist/guitarist and only original Slough Feg member Mike Scalzi’s singing is really emotive on this one.Title track, “Digital Resistance“, follows, and it is NWOBHM to the core. It has a certain Thin Lizzy/Iron Maiden feel to it. “Magic Hooligan” is also especially Iron Maiden-esque after the Irish folk-inspired intro riffs. On this song, Scalzi sounds like the perfect combination of Paul DiAnno and Bruce Dickinson,with the attitude and rough edge of the first and the strength and theatricality of the second. Like “Magic Hooligan,” Digital Resistance’s lead single “Laser Enforcer” has a classic NWOBHM sound. The guitar work from Scalzi and Angelo Tringali is crisp and clear, and the way they work together is reminiscent of the Tipton/Downing or Murray/Smith power duos. When it was time to create an authentic early ’80s metal sound, Slough Feg definitely looked to the right guys for inspiration.

“Habeas Corpsus” leans more toward the folk side of things with its lyrics and overall sound, but it still has a rock edge to it. It has a great electric guitar solo on top of the acoustic guitar that is present throughout the song. While some songs from “Digital Resistance” lead either in the folk or metal direction, final tracks “Curriculum Vitae“, “The Luddite“, and “Warrior’s Dusk” all seem to nicely balance the two sounds.

I have to say that I enjoyed Slough Feg‘s “Digital Resistance“. I do wish the songs had been a bit catchier, as the lyrics were definitely “smarter” than your average Def Leppard or Saxon. The band’s authenticity and uniqueness made up for it though. Digital Resistance is likely to appeal to fans of the metal classics, especially those looking for something a bit different that often borders on the cultural and intellectual.