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BLOOD STAR
First Sighting

Shadow Kingdom (2023)
Rating: 9/10

As soon as Jamison Palmer’s riff kicks in I’m on board this rollicking debut full-length album from the Madeline Smith-fronted U.S. act. After a trio of singles this Salt Lake City, Utah-based band seemed to go somewhat silent, but now from the darkness they have appeared with a stripped back, balls to the wall debut I can highly recommend to anyone with a penchant for the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal genre.

What really appeals to me here are the slick grooves, the organic feel and that genuine late-70s and early-80s vibe, although there is a far more authentic feel here than on a majority of so-called revival bands. In fact, I can even see fans of the likes of Lucifer and doomy-edged acts lapping at the shores of this one too because it really does come soaked in a rather driving yet dark atmosphere as the stark, prodding percussion of Al Lester toys with the dribbling bass lines of Noah Henley.

Smith’s vocals have that raw, edgy attitude and they add extra oomph to what is already a hardy composition that just oozes confidence and knowing as the oil slick riffs of ‘All For Nothing’ and ‘Fearless Priestess’ take hold. Each track here soaks up a vibe not too dissimilar from, say, Uriah Heep, Cirith Ungol and the aforementioned Lucifer; there’s the cool shuffle of ‘Cold Moon’, the doomy, medieval vibe of ‘The Observers’ – upon which Palmer takes over lead vocal duties – and the sublime ‘Going Home’ with its chugging menace.

For the metal purists this is a dream of an outing – rich with melody but awash with the sort of gloominess that saturated the early-to-mid 80s European scene. Epic yet stark, First Sighting exudes swagger and knowing in a mesmeric and magical way, and not much else comes close.

Neil Arnold

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