BLIZZARD HUNTER - Heavy Metal to the Vein review

 BLIZZARD HUNTER - Heavy Metal to the Vein

Pure Underground Records

https://www.facebook.com/BlizzardHunter

South America is a place where heavy metal music grows strong. Actually heavy metal there was strong even before the latest huge come back of our music. BLIZZARD HUNTER are from Lima, Peru and they started back in 2006 under the name BLIZZARD as a heavy metal cover band. In 2014 they released their first EP with their own original compositions under the title “Conqueror of Destiny” which is now considered a collector’s item. All this fuss made Pure Underground Records notice the band and help them release their debut album which I will present to you here…

THE COVER: Ah finally a cover that doesn’t look like being made on computer, but by human hands. It really looks like a painting which shows a battlefield covered by snow and barbarians fighting knights. Especially the one in front looks very demonic with no face and fiery eyes. It is a theme that we are used to seeing on many heavy metal covers, but still we like it.

MUSICAL STYLE: BLIZZARD HUNTER surely is one of these bands that have been influenced by the 80’s metal sound. Actually these guys try to combine in their sound their traditional heavy metal influences that mostly come from the N.W.O.B.H.M. sound with elements of melodic speed metal. I think the term heavy/speed metal is quite accurate. Also musically they are influenced both by the European and the U.S. metal scene.

COMPOSITIONS: The album contains 10 compositions and its whole duration is over 49 minutes. The compositions balance between the melody of traditional heavy metal and the aggression of speed metal. The songs are deeply rooted in the 80’s and the only thing that makes you understand that they are contemporary compositions is the modern clear production and of course the freshness they have as compositions. They might not be original, but yet they have catchy melodies that get stuck into your mind and the songs never go away from their target which is to offer to the listener some good time to practice his/her air guitar skills and sing along. They have the immediacy of the 80’s metal bands and that is a great element. The way they mix their N.W.O.B.H.M. influences with speed metal made me think of such bands like SAVAGE GRACE, RAVEN, OMEN, RUNNING WILD and REVENGE (from Colombia). 

CONCLUSION: BLIZZARD HUNTER is a band that has experience, talent and passion for traditional heavy metal and this is something they manage to imprint on their compositions. Also another positive for this album is that the more you listen to it the more you like it. It is not like other releases of our days that you listen to with enthusiasm in the first play and after a couple of times your forget it. In a few words the only reason not to like this band is because you got tired of the 80’s metal sound.

Nick “Verkaim” Parastatidis