Rich Man's War, Poor Man's Fight

There was certainly a shortage of good, old-fashioned heavy metal bands in the '90s. The early 21st century was a different story, however, as countless new groups once again began drawing inspiration from bands that wore leather and studs and played pointy guitars. The Buffalo, New York quintet, Herod, is a fine example of this, as evidenced by their third full-length overall, 2006's Rich Man's War, Poor Man's Fight. While there's an overabundance of modern day bands that touch upon classic metal but don't fully commit, Herod is one of the few that go all out. It's obvious from the get-go that they've obviously studied their Megadeth and Iron Maiden records, where thrash metal riffs, tricky time signatures, rapid fire drumming, and Bruce Dickinson-esque vocals (that alternate between screamed and sung) are prominently on display. After all, it's not often that you hear a metal song start off with a shredding guitar solo, but you'll find it here on "Lies and Betrayal." Other choice cuts for those who like their metal loud and proud include "One Life to Burn" and "The Fire." As proven by Rich Man's War, Poor Man's Fight, Herod has once more issued a pure metal album — and admirably turning a blind eye to current metallic trends.