REVIEW: SIGN OF THE JACKAL - The Beyond EP

 

SIGN OF THE JACKAL - The Beyond EP (2011)

Heavy Artillery Records

It is obvious that there is a new trend of young bands rising and trying to bring back the kind of heavy metal music that was popular during the 80’s. Italy could not be an exception to that, and SIGN OF THE JACKAL are a good example of this tendency. This female-fronted band clearly draws its inspiration from the N.W.O.B.H.M. movement, combining the characteristic guitar-driven sound of the era with a straightforward and traditional heavy metal approach.

Because of the vocals, the first two WARLOCK albums also came to my mind while listening to The Beyond EP. The combination of these influences makes the band’s musical direction fairly obvious. If you enjoy this particular period and style of heavy metal, there is a good chance that SIGN OF THE JACKAL will appeal to you as well.

The musicians are competent and deliver the songs with confidence, while there is also enough passion behind the performances to make the overall result convincing and, most importantly, sincere. The band does not sound like a cold attempt to reproduce an old-fashioned sound; there is a genuine enthusiasm for the music they have chosen to play. At the same time, I believe that they still have to work a little more on the variety factor, as the material could benefit from greater differentiation between the songs and a few more surprises in the songwriting.

Nevertheless, The Beyond EP is an enjoyable listen. It did not leave me particularly enthusiastic, but it certainly kept my interest and demonstrated that SIGN OF THE JACKAL know what they want to do and have the necessary ability to do it. They are good at what they do, and people who appreciate this kind of traditional, N.W.O.B.H.M.-oriented heavy metal will probably find plenty to enjoy here.

As a first step, this is a positive beginning. The Beyond EP shows potential and, more importantly, leaves you interested in hearing the band’s next works and discovering how SIGN OF THE JACKAL will develop their identity as musicians and composers.

Nick Parastatidis