Consider the best traits of heavy metal from the late seventies and early eighties. Righteous riffs. Arena-sized party anthems. Triumphant lyrics with sing-along choruses. Screamer nails this equation on Highway Of Heroes, and it's one of 2019's finest albums.
Metal music today is routinely pushed to its sonic extremes. Highway Of Heroes is a welcome dose of the classic stuff. Their old school approach seems even more revolutionary compared to their grim and guttural contemporaries. Judas Priest and Iron Maiden are bands whose golden aura strengthens with each year. Screamer understand the power of old, but surpass being a convincing facsimile.
The opener "Ride On" kicks off with tight, crash cymbal chokes, accenting a nasty, palm-muted riff. This song sounds like it could be from Judas Priest's discography, circa '77-'82. The clean vocals mostly stay in the mid-range, but launch into dazzling, Rob Halford-esque falsettos for the chorus. This album might be light on innovation, but if a band is going to sound like another band, it might as well be the greatest heavy metal act on the planet. Screamer's newest also rings of Iron Maiden, The Scorpions, Dio, and Thin Lizzy, without seeming like a blatant rip-off.
Highway Of Heroes plays out with a cinematic air. The soaring guitar leads and ground-shaking vocal parts create a pitch-perfect atmosphere. I thought of leather gloves gripped at the wheel of a 1970 Pontiac Thunderbird, cruising the desert plains on a mission to rock.
Of course, it has a few campy moments. The song "Shadow Hunter" sounds like it was made for the training montage of an eighties action flick. The vocal delivery reminded of Trey Parker from South Park crooning "America Fuck Yeah!" or "Let's Fighting Love." But for every album like Sin After Sin, there's at least one song like "Last Rose Of Summer."
The follow-up track "Rider Of Death" bounces with an upbeat shuffle, as the voices chime in for one of many catchy gang choruses. Highway Of Heroes excels with its infectious tunes. This is due in a big way to singer Andreas Wilkström's vocal melodies. Refined, metered guitar parts lay the foundation for his voice to shine on center stage. Wilkström's singing is the golden thread that weaves this record into a sweet and memorable masterpiece. Every song is likely to leave the listener humming along, for long after the record has finished.
The crowning achievement comes at the midway point. "Sacrifice," "Halo," "Highway Of Heroes," and "Out Of The Dark" form a brilliant attack in consecutive succession. They're also the four-way tie for the best songs on this album. "Halo" rumbles to life with mean double bass drums, coupled with a Kill 'Em All-style speed metal lick. Its jubilant chorus gave me goosebumps.
The title track slithers into one's ear with a slinky, metallic bass line driving the beat. It crescendos into a bright burst of power chords and twangy guitar solos. The "Whoa-oh-oh" gang chorus seems straight out of Def Leppard's book.
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"Once again the same old song, we've been trapped in this forever," go the lyrics on the title track. "Don't know where we belong, so we head into the night." This is timeless heavy metal. Highway Of Heroes is an irresistible slice of nostalgia that's too endearing to fault.
"Caught In Lies" concludes the album with a slightly more meditative pace. Rather than end with a bang, its dueling guitar harmonies diminish into the ether, like the tail lights of a muscle car shrinking into the horizon. Put on your aviator shades and buckle up. Highway Of Heroes is one hell of a ride.
Score: 9/10
