Heavier than Metal

After hearing Skull Fist’s 2010 EP Heavier Than Metal and viewing photographs of the band, it’s hard to tell if the Toronto quartet is reliving heavy metal’s heyday or if it's the kind of group that just lives as if the '80s never ended. The opening cut, “Sign of the Warrior,” detonates with a barrage of drums hammering down. Over this, guitarist and frontman Jackie Slaughter comes out wailing in a shrill falsetto that sounds like what might have happened had Geddy Lee chosen a life of Aqua-Net and spandex. The title track uses hard-panned guitars for a stereophonic effect in which Slaughter’s riffs pipe out of a speaker as second guitarist Jonny Nesta rips leads out the other speaker, sounding heavily influenced by New Wave of British Heavy Metal axe-wielders. Spanish-style acoustic guitar during the intro of “Blackout” reveals depth to Skull Fist’s musicianship before the song explodes into a party anthem could soundtrack a much-needed third installment in the Fubar movie series.