Σάββατο 29 Μαρτίου 2025

REVIEW: ROX – Violent Breed

 


ROX – Violent Breed


Music for Nations


The NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) movement is undeniably a significant chapter in the history of heavy metal music. It encompasses a vast array of bands and has seen the development of nearly every subgenre within heavy metal.


ROX, who began their career in 1980 as VENOM, belong to what I would call indecisive bands. What does that mean? On one hand, they create compositions of pure classic heavy metal like "Dressed to Kill," "Daylight Robbery," and "Violation," while on the other, they produce more commercial tracks with a heavy dose of hard rock, such as "I Wanna Be a Hero" (which, for some reason, brings to mind the aesthetic of SAXON), "Love Ya Like a Diamond" (with an introduction reminiscent of SAVATAGE), and "Wild and Crazy" (which has strong KISS references and vocals that mildly remind one of CRONOS — could that be why they started as VENOM?).



Despite the duality of their sound, ROX manages to create noteworthy compositions and delivers an album characterized by both cohesion and variety. This work undoubtedly reflects its time, specifically 1983 when it was released, but it is by no means outdated or obsolete. On the contrary, it sounds exceptionally enjoyable even today, thanks to its beautiful musical ideas and high production quality.


Nick Parastatidis


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