Impact – Initial Impact

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This is not the first band to be called IMPACT, and I suspect not the last. Here we are dealing with a very young German band, only founded in 2020 and already releasing their first album, aptly named  “Initial Impact”.

When one of my best friends ever, Martjo Brongers (Vortex) founded the band Steel Shock he mentioned that they wouldn't be avoiding any cliches when writing music, so if anything would sound familiar, so be it. Well, IMPACT has done the same. From beginning to end, you'll hear the references to other big names from all ages of heavy metal.

On opener “Friday Night” the intentions are clear from the word go: this is pure unadulterated heavy metal. The band really keep that up throughout the album, as in “We Want Out” you'll hear music that moves your soul. This has a little bit of Fightinfluences, making it a real headbanger of a song.

It also highlights my only pet hate on “Initial Impact”: the rudimentary use the English language. Roughy said, the use of only very simple words, but most of all the poor pronunciation of a lot of words. It ranges from acceptable to at times even abominable. I know not everyone is bothered by this, but I am. And that is very unfortunate for me, as I really do love songs like “Funky Strings” and even “Hangover”. I hear METALLICA coming by in “Motherfucking Outlaw”, PANTERA in “Faster 'n Higher”, but I also detect some bits of early DEF LEPPARD, JUDAS PRIEST, SAXON and MOTLEY CRUE. Like I mentioned, anything goes with these young Germans, and that's more than okay in my book.

I'll say it here: IMPACT makes just that if you're looking for pure heavy metal without constraints. Their “Initial Impact” is quite substantial. But guys, please work on your vocabulary and knowledge of the language you sing in.

Songwriting: 8
Musicianship: 7
Memorability: 8
Production: 8