EP REVIEW: Running From The Dawn – Lethal Steel
It’s a running joke between friendship groups that if you hear a heavy metal band you’ve not heard before, don’t even bother asking where they are from, because the answer will almost always be ‘Sweden’. Scandinavia is no stranger to heavy metal musicians, and there is a pretty extensive list of talented bands coming from Sweden year upon year, of which LETHAL STEEL are no exception.
They recorded their first demo themselves and issued it with a circulation of only 50 copies back in 2012, and it wasn’t until they were signed by High Roller Records that they released their debut album Legion Of The Night in 2016. Due to lineup changes, there has been a gap in releases but now, four years later, they are back with their four-track EP Running From The Dawn.
Completely contrary to everything you would expect from LETHAL STEEL, the first track Weekday Refuge pulls you in with ambient rain sounds and gentle guitar picking, creating a dreamlike atmosphere as opposed to the pounding speed you had predicted. The drums then follow gently with lots of soft cymbals, joined finally by the characteristic heavy metal style guitar thundering in with a fast-paced and upbeat old school riff. The vocals throughout the EP are a melodic style, there are no power screams here, but the harmonies are layered nicely through the chorus and the overall sound is very retro.
Stay Away doesn’t take the same gentle approach, instead kicking things off from the outset with speed soaked, chugging guitars and fist-in-the-air style drum beats. The vocals in this track actually sound a lot stronger and full than Weekday Refuge, Viktor Gustafsson’s style matching the energy perfectly here. There is nothing new or outstanding in this track, but it’s just a straight up heavy metal tune that delivers exactly what it says on the time.
Much like their first record, LETHAL STEEL have added a song in Swedish to this EP too. Not a lot of bands from the traditional first wave of Swedish metal bands in the late 1970s/early 1980s had Swedish lyrics, Gustafsson explains. “Not too many, that’s correct. But quite a few of the underground bands like JONAH QUIZZ, REFLEX and ONYX worked with Swedish lyrics. I think this gives a vibe to the songs that is hard to reach when you sing in English.” The track has all the speed and attitude of MOTÖRHEAD but with some very effective guitar melodies to add an extra dimension.
City of Sin rounds the EP off nicely with a classic heavy metal sound. An IRON MAIDEN influence can be heard throughout the release but even more so in this track; galloping riffs with a heavy bass sound much akin to the style of early Steve Harris. The vocals are strong and thunderous here, with the instrumental adding a minor touch to add a darker atmosphere to the track.
If you like straightforward traditional heavy metal that stands loud and proud, LETHAL STEEL would be a great band to add to your collection. Stylistically, nothing here is particularly unique and there is the sense that a special something is missing to make these guys stand out, but hopefully, this will be something that develops with time as they adjust to their new, solid lineup.
Rating: 7/10
Running From The Dawn is out now via High Roller Records.
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