Album Review: Ranger – Speed & Violence (Spinefarm Records)

Everything about the second album from Ranger has an old school feel about it. The album artwork, the title but most of all the sound. It’s an album that draws much of its influence from the metal scene of the 80’s. Fast paced with sharp solos & high vocals that wouldn’t sound out of place on an early Judas Priest record but nowhere as good.

10 songs long & coming in at 36 minutes, it feels so much longer.

For all it’s throwback style it fails significantly to capture any of the heart & excitement that existed in the scene then. It’s just not that interesting even if it’s ticking plenty of the right boxes.

Songs like Speed & Violence, Without Warning, Lethal Force & Satanic Panic are all solid sounding slabs of heavy metal but that’s about it. Unmemorable music that might interest those looking for a rebirth of this kind of metal but is very unlikely to interest most.

It’s all just a bit uninspired, the guitar solos are boring, the drum beats flat & although Dimitri Lamberg’s vocals are on point (albeit with some high-pitched screaming that can be an irritation) they aren’t exactly setting the world on fire. The closest this album gets to a great song is Demon Wind. A combination of great guitar work with less vocals makes for a song that at least gets the foot tapping along.

Overall Track Listing:

1. Intro
2. Speed & Violence
3. Without Warning
4. Demon Wind
5. Lethal Force
6. Satanic Panic
7. Evil Barrier
8. Night Slasher
9. Shock Troops
10.Last Breath

Speed & Violence is out now via Spinefarm Records & available to buy worldwide.