Savage Grace – Sign Of The Cross
Origin: Los Angeles / USA
Release: 05.05.2023
Label: Massacre Records
Duration: 44:29
Genre: Speed Metal / US Metal
When I heard about the announcement of the new disc from Savage Grace heard, I first checked whether it was really about the legendary ones Savage Grace acts.
In fact, a small miracle has happened and the old heroes are around the corner with a new album after more than thirty years.
Despite all the anticipation, the release will probably be overshadowed by various discussions. Who is still on board from that time? The only original cast is the guitarist Chris Logue remained and therefore the question is that still Savage Grace?
But I don’t want to get involved in a personal and name discussion here, because it can, like with the French band Spell, lead to infinity. Rather, one should reflect on what made the band’s 1980s albums so legendary. Despite the poor sound of the cult albums from today’s perspective Master Of Disguise and After The Fall From Grace it was the energetic, fast-paced US Metal that helped these albums gain such prestige.
What makes a band
Of course, a charismatic frontman primarily characterizes the audio image of a band. If the vocals are meagre, then that drags the bottom line down significantly. On the legendary studio albums made first Mike Smith and later Chris Logue a convincing job on the microphone. The history of the band, on the other hand, knows many singers and so it is not surprising that with Gabriel Colon a new man takes over the high singing.
But the front man is one thing and the crew behind is another part. The guitar work is natural important, but what stood out to me was the old ones Savage Grace especially the drumming. Despite the different drummers, this sound had something of a rumbling, pounding express express. He was the appropriate speed metal force that drove it all.
Sound through the line-up changes Savage Grace in 2023, of course, a little different. That doesn’t mean that Sign Of The Cross has become a meager US Metal album. The complete opposite is the case. Already the opener Barbarians At The Gate is a declaration of war and gallops wonderfully through the boxes.
The sound is a mixture of tradition and modern production. This fact is probably what separates this new album from the old classics the most. Otherwise does Gabriel Colon a great job. It won’t be easy to implement these vocal lines live, however, as the voices are often doubled and layered in polyphony.
The long-awaited locomotive
The drums as a locomotive are then included Automoton. The driving rhythm is supported by great riffs and guitars whirring in the background. You can do the song HERE listen because it gives a good picture of the current status of the band.
The title track of the album follows in third place. Sign Of The Cross falls acoustically immediately out of the ordinary. It takes a mighty run and then comes sweeping over us with a certain malevolent power. The vocals aren’t superficially high and bright here, but that’s exclusively reserved for the background vocals. Therefore sounds Sign Of The Cross so different, albeit powerful and downright powerful.
The following Rendezvous on the other hand, it sounds traditional again and maybe too harmless after the mighty title chunk. Instead there is a long solo in the middle part, which not every song on the record is blessed with.
Between party, dark walls and macho behavior
Sign Of The Cross has become varied. Maybe it’s because of the wide span in which the songs were created or because of the many different ideas. This makes the album appear broad and not boring. On the other hand, one sometimes thinks that the common thread is missing.
The span between the harmless party anthems like Stealin’ My Heart Awaya speed metal number like Slave Of Desireas well as the dark conspiracy song Land Beyond The Walls is already very big. Also there is always traditional fabric, as with Star Crossed Lovers and solid, if not compelling, hard rock on the finale Branded.
For the buyers of the CD edition there is also Helsinki Nights an up-tempo, easy-going bonus track that lengthens the album to around 53 minutes. The song falls into the party music category and makes you macho in terms of content. A good song, which, overall, doesn’t fit in very well with the other nine titles.
Conclusion
Sign Of The Cross is not a Savage Grace in the tradition of their own classics. But it’s a well-produced and wide-ranging album that with Barbarians At The Gate, Slave Of Desire and the ingenious title song has enough energy ready to carry the listener along. 8 / 10
Line Up
Gabriel Colon–Gesang
Christian Logue – guitar
Fabio Carito – Bass
Marcus Dotta – drums
guest musician
Griffin McCarthy – drums
Tracklist
01. Barbarians at the Gate
02. Automoton
03. Sign of the Cross
04. Rendezvous
05. Stealin’ My Heart Away
06. Slave of Desire
07. Land Beyond the Walls
08. Star Crossed Lovers
09. Branded
10. Helsinki Nights (CD Bonustrack)
Links
Facebook Savage Grace
Webseite Savage Grace
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