3 Inches of Blood
Advance and Vanquish
Roadrunner Records, October
2004
Offensive Words: the word damn is used many times but used in the
correct context
Genre: pure metal
Check out The
Showdown or Immortal
Souls, also old school bands like Deliverance and Bloodgood!
If anyone thought 80's style
pure heavy metal had died well, you may notice it is rising and making a
come back! Yes, the spikes, the head banging and the raised fist
is back and growing stronger by the minute! 3 Inches of Blood, just the
name sounds like total metal, has been around several years now but
mainly in Canada. Now with signing a deal with Roadrunner Records
they are hitting the states with a vengeance and method to take over nu-metal!
Notice the cover, that was even created by Ed Repka, the creator of Vic
Rattlehead with Megadeth.
Music
Any old school Iron Maiden or Judas Priest fans?? Well, old school
style pure metal is back with a fresh sound and style. As soon as you
put in the cd you hear a fire being light and then a fuse...then the
explosion 
(literal)
occurs and you and your speakers are attacked by the musical onslaught
of 3 Inches of Blood. Want to hear what true metal guitars sound like,
just take a listen to "Dominion of Deceit" and "Swordmaster"
and you will hear a tradition of an epic metal battle. "Lord
of the Storms" gives you the sound of a sinking ship in the middle
of a storm and then the rise of thunder and the flames of heavy metal
guitars followed with the intensity of double kick drums. The band even
throws in speed metal type tracks with "Wykydtron".
"Crazy Nights" is my least favorite musical track on the disc
with just nothing special. The song falls short from the other
tracks.
Vocal/Lyrics
Dual lead singers on this cd, yes dual, Jamie Hooper and check out
this name, Cam Pipes. Screams, growls, true metal style singing,
and falsetto, falsetto with some more falsetto. I mean if you
don't like 80's style metal then don't even waste your time any further.
The lyrics these guys are belting include story lines out of J.R.
Tolkien playing a round of Dungeons and Dragons. With titles like "Swordmaster",
"Axes of Evil", "Destroy the Orcs" and "The
Phantom of the Crimson Cloak" you get pure metal lyrics. These guys
sing about epic pirate battle on the high seas, monsters taking your
souls, kings in battle with surrounding enemies, knights and battling
Orcs. I mean this may be called nerd metal by some but it is their
style. The band sings of gothic stories, nothing real life or
really meaningful in the least. But many would say that is what metal
has always supposed to be. Offensive? Well, I guess it depends on
your stance on that because this is a bloody and vengeful style story
line, much like watching a "Lord of the Rings" movie, which is
full of blood, violence but still delivers a positive message. I don't
see anything with a positive ending or message really in this cd. There
were a couple songs like "Dominion of Deceit" and "Deadly
Sinner" that left me a little confused wondering if they were
promoting dark. Either way, these are story songs and anthems of metal
music.
Now let me say this, I wouldn't probably want my 12 yr old kid singing
along with this music but I'm not sure where the line should be drawn.
I know Christians that don't like "Lord of the Rings" and I
respect them for that, the same will go with this style of music whether
labeled Christian or secular. My theory is always been if I
question it then I personally choose to stay away from it.
Especially with Christian bands out there like Immortal Souls and The
Showdown, I choose their epic battle songs with a Christian ending. You
get the same style but the message is an open message of positive
outcomes.
"Fear on the Bridge"
Behold a speeding shape
A ship upon the waves
Racing swift as death
Torment from the pits of Hell
In seas where pirates dwell
The armada set it's course
Shadowed by skull and cross-boned force
Reading all this song you can't tell if this is a story of victory for
good or evil. Honestly not sure how to take it and figure it all depends
on your mindset.
"Dominion of Deceit"
All beware the blackened tongue
It's laden heavy with lies
Bleeding on the cross for the world to see
Traitor, liar, thief-all will be revealed
Millions caught in rapture torn inside with fear
Eat the flesh and drink the blood
"Destroy the Orcs"
Kill the Orcs, slay the Orcs, destroy the orcs
You returned late at home that night
Evidence all around you from the fight
You see your family's blood spilled on the ground
There's no trace of the Orcs to be found
Take the broadsword in your hand
Follow the Orcs to their camp