Cannon – Metal Style

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Metal Mayhem Music
Produced by Cannon

This is, quite unbelievably, Cannon’s third proper album in 20 years, following their 2005 comeback album Back In Business and their debut seventeen years earlier, Thunder And Lightning.

Taking huge cues from Judas Priest and U.D.O. Metal Style is an unabashed heavy metal album from start to finish. First song proper Heavy Metal Style sounds like it could come from one of Priest’s much-maligned ’80s albums Turbo or Point of Entry, while The Iron thrives on Painkiller era riffs with a more melodic U.D.O./Primal Fear chorus.

Hot Wheels On The Highway, although the title sounds like it could easily be mid-’80s Priest (not to be confused with Heading Out On The Highway), actually sounds more like Ratt, and Out In The Streets is similarly upbeat ’80s metal, more Gamma Ray in style.

And so the main similarities continue between Priest and Ratt. Waiting returns to the jagged Priest riffs, while an anthemic What I Am more Priest-ish riffs but a much catchier chorus than anything they’re achieved for a while, more like Hammerfall in that respect. I Can’t Get Enough is reminiscent of Ratt again, and the likes of Jackyl, and the album’s only ballad, the bonus track for the limited edition first pressing, Jennifer, demonstrates a strong Ratt sound as well.

Metal Style is a completely straight forward traditional metal album, with all the riffs, hooks and solos that entails. It’s not breaking any new ground whatsoever, but it’s also not retreading the exact same ground as the bands similarities have been drawn against above. This is definitely an album for fans of Priest, U.D.O., Gamma Ray and Hammerfall. And a good one at that.

“ unabashed heavy metal ”

Tracklist: Intro / Heavy Metal Style / Into The Fire / The Iron / Hot Wheels On The Highway / Out In The Streets / Waiting / I Bet You Win / What I Am / I Can’t Get Enough / Sensation – Frustration / The Wooden House / Bells of Glory
Limited Edition Bonus Track: Jennifer

Written by Andy Lye
More: Albums, Heavy Metal, Cannon