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SHOW N TELL
The Ritual Has Begun

No Remorse (2024)
Rating: 8/10

The Ritual Has Begun is the debut full-length platter from Phoenix, Arizona-based metalheads Show N Tell who provide smoke machines, lightning strikes, thunderbolts and a whole host of nostalgic metal images. If you were around in the mid-to-late 80s then you would have revelled in this sort of melodic-cum-power metal style.

There is such a rush of energy with this heap of gleaming steel, particularly in the high pitched vocals of guitarist David Rodriguez. Flashes of Judas Priest, Exciter, Malice etc. flit before the eyes and shred the ears as the quartet provides shredding macho metal from the off with opener ‘Rip N Tear’ which showcases the dazzling leads of Daniel Dobbs, who joined the band in 2022 alongside drummer Mike Thomas.

Elsewhere, bassist Cade Gardner provides ample back up, particularly on high energy numbers ‘Heavy Metal’ and ‘Tortured By Reality’, but the band also does well on the less hasty and more melodious tracks. ‘Night Stalker’ springs to mind with its mid-tempo groove, while ‘All Alone Tonight’ and ‘The Second Death’ are emphatic and emotional brain busters. I hear everything from Stryper to Dokken, with power metal and speed metal all added to the melting pot.

The Ritual Has Begun is a quality debut that doesn’t hold back; every instrument fires on all cylinders and you cannot help but bang along. Cool album art too.

Neil Arnold

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