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Samson > Shock Tactics > Reviews
Samson - Shock Tactics

The Voice of Iron Maiden is Warming Up - 78%

PowerProg_Adam, April 22nd, 2004

Shock Tactics can be thought of as the most metal album that Samson has released. Head On had its metal tendencies, but all in all, it was not as nearly as consistent. Virtually all of the work to follow would not be metal as well, but rather Blues-oriented rock. Bruce Bruce aka Bruce Dickinson's voice oh Shock Tactics is not quite what it has been known for in Iron Maiden, but it is definitely getting much closer than with Head On. Thunderstick's drumming is evening beginning to become more coordinated.

The opening track, Riding With the Angels, could definitely be an Iron Maiden song. Bruce's slick and raunchy vocal stylings with a bevy of power chords from Paul Samson make this a straight up NWOBHM masterpiece. There is not exactly much of a solo to this song, which is its only downfall, but then again, Paul Samson happened to be the band's only guitarist therefore not able to pull off the twin axe attack of Iron Maiden.

Nice Girl is just one of the many metal songs I have heard about a lust for women. If you have heard any of the Wolfsbane work with Blaze Bailey, you could probably put Bruce in the band and their songs would sound earlier similar. Oddly enough half of this album has a considerable amount of sexually oriented lyrics.

Bruce's high note, the air raid siren, is not totally developed yet on this album. Blood Lust and Grime Crime have a considerable amount of shreiking in them, but it does not exactly sounded like the end of Maiden's Aces High. Although Bruce's singing voice is warming up, his higher end has not been totally developed yet.

Communion is probably my second favorite on the album, and it is also the lone ballad. The Iron Maiden lyrical mentallity for ballads is forming here with feelings of sadness and grief. This track does not pick up at all, and it is just a nice accoustical melody which is practically just a vocal showcasing for Bruce because the instruments are not really being played to stand out.

Samson is not exactly Iron Maiden, but on Shock Tactics, they are some pretty damn good NWOBHM that is definitely worth checking out. The only problem that most people may have is the lack of amazing solos. Paul Samson is a pretty good guitarist, but his solos aren't exactly the same caliber of Adrian Smith and Dave Murray.