Currently spear-heading the new wave of Irish heavy metal, Tipperary teens Army Rising unleash their debut record Impending Chaos this fortnight and it’s an unashamedly oldschool affair that proudly wears its Maiden and Megadeath influences on its old and battered denim jacket. Comprising ten tracks, the opus rages with the best of them and regales us with tales of war and corruption over the course of 50 or so frenetic minutes.
Kicking off with the blistering ‘Who I Am’, the tracks race by faster than Linford Christie legging it away from some lunchbox-hungry zombies as the guitarists batter their instruments of destruction like red-headed stepchildren. Vocalist Noel O’Brien puts in a particularly heroic performance that reminds this reviewer of Ride The Lightning-era James Hetfield and the band’s decision to opt for clean vocals rather than guttural growls really works for the likes of ‘If You Want Peace…’ and ‘Fallacy.’
While the album rarely strays from thrash/NWOBHM conventions and tracks such as the vicious ‘Tyrant’ won’t tax the intellect too heavily, Impending Chaos is a solid statement of intent that will make many want to throw their horns in the air in appreciation. It marks the arrival of new metal torch-bearers for the Irish metal scene. Long may they run.