Album Review: Tower – Shock to the System (Cruz Del Sur Music)

On their first studio album in five years, New York City’s Tower kicks out the jams with vintage metal appeal and classic rock persuasion that brings the old-school into today! It will be released on November 19th, 2021 via Cruz Del Sur Music.

Tower want to rock and roll all night… and maybe some of the day. It might depend on local COVID restrictions. That’s not a piss-take but rather a hammered home point. Tower had to change a lot about how they work to get this album completed because of the worldwide pandemic.

It might also surprise people who hit play and don’t pay attention to the lyrics that Shock to the System tackles political themes, personal loss and the volatility of relationships and life in general.

Yep, it might sound like metal ripped straight from 80s with 70’s rock infusions but Tower are focusing on the issues of today rather than yesterday. It certainly adds more substance to proceedings but that’s not to say you can’t just let your hair down and rock out hard. You certainly can and Tower have the riffs, hooks, melodies and metal energy to help you get in the zone.

If that wasn’t enough to convince you to go back in time for some old-school head-banging fun, Tower also exude epic power when not going balls out fast.

From the animated start of Blood Moon to the fist-punching and grand sounding Prince of Darkness to the guitar frenzy of Metatron and the punchy, melodic, thrill ride that is the combo of Running Out of Time and Lay Down the Law. The first half is pure crowd-pleasing heavy metal music.

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Although there isn’t much different in the second half, there are a few surprises littered around. Most notably, the near 7-minute mammoth that is In Dreams. A track that has Tower really pushing themselves to the limits with racing guitar work, imposing vocals and hard-hitting percussion.

Around that track it’s banger after banger. Hired Gun, The Black Rose, On the Line and Powder Keg help make sure this is an album that no-one will be forgetting anytime soon.

Tower – Shock the System Full Track Listing:

1. Blood Moon
2. Prince Of Darkness
3. Metatron
4. Running Out of Time
5. Lay Down the Law
6. Hired Gun
7. The Black Rose
8. On The Line
9. In Dreams
10. Powder Keg




Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Cruz Del Sur Music

Author

  • Owner/Administrator/Editor/Writer/Interviewer/YouTuber - you name it, I do it. I love gaming, horror movies, and all forms of heavy metal and rock. I'm also a Discworld super-fan and love talking all things Terry Pratchett. Do you wanna party? It's party time!

Tower - Shock to the System (Cruz Del Sur Music)
  • The Final Score - 7.5/10
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