Release date: 15 May, 2025

BLIND REVIEW! In my perusing of the NWOTHM Full Albums YouTube channel, I encountered this little nugget and simply couldn’t NOT check it out with cover art like that. It’s so rad, like a modern take on Tygers of Pan Tang’s extraordinary “Wild Cat” record. All I know about these lads or lasses (or a gender neutral version of the term), is that they hail from London, England, and that’s it… haha. I am going into this completely dark, as I want to shine a light on new bands in our little niche. I also can’t find any social media or photos of the band, so just pretend that they’re linked below and imagine what the band looks like. They don’t even have a page on the Metal Archives, something I will be working on in the near-future (aka, right after this). I’m going into this completely dark, my first listen is as I’m writing it

Written by Kyle Stevens & Scott Rae
Produced by Rocco Pezzin

Review

A moody buildup began “Wanted Man”, something I found to be very reminiscent of Ratt or WASP. Once the guitars kicked in proper, it was all glam all the way (but more the kind like I mentioned just now, and less like the Poison stuff). I really like the vocal delivery as well, it’s got a nice bluesy tinge to it. This feels ripped straight outta the 80s in all the best ways, and for being a debut release, it’s breathtakingly tightly produced. Even the guitar solo and the sound of the drums is so very glam inspired, it reminds me a bit of the short-lived Savage from Germany (whose album “Glory Riders” I reviewed early on in my time at this site). It even fades out like an 80s song, rad.

“Time (Never Stops Running)” kicked off with a riff that reminded me of John Sykes’ (RIP) playing in Whitesnake. I adore the way the chorus sounds in this, I’m sure it’s an effect on the singer’s voice, but damn does it sound cool as hell. For this one, I again thought of glam bands, but rather than the early glam stalwarts I mentioned above, this one sent me more toward the later period for the genre (Skid Row, Shotgun Messiah, etc.) as well as Great White’s debut record (which slays btw). I couldn’t stop grooving to this one, this was perfect. Seriously, it just kept getting better and ended in a perfect little crescendo. Inject this into my veins like Nikki Sixx injected whiskey that one time.

With a slightly slower, and heavier, riff to kick off, “In For The Kill” immediately stood out from the other two tracks. If that wasn’t clear enough, the ballad-like delivery of the vocals and the guitars would be enough to make it stick out, but make no mistake this is more “Still of the Night” and less “Every Rose Has its Thorn”. Vocalist hits some insane high notes toward the end that blew my socks right off.

Conclusion

This was so freaking rad, and I’m glad I took a shot on it! A great album cover is a surefire way to rope suckers like me in, haha. It’s like this was ripped straight outta 1988, and I mean that in all the best ways. For being a debut release, as far as I know, this little EP felt surprisingly complete and comprehensive. It paid homage to 80s glam but without feeling at all derivative. To paraphrase Gordon Ramsay, ‘it’s delicious, finally some good [fudging] metal.’

If the members of Crusader ever manage to read this review, you’ve made a fan today.

Recommended for fans of Ratt, WASP, Dokken, Krokus, Whitesnake, Hitten, Wanted, Crazy Lixx, etc.

TheNwothm Score: 10/10

Links

Bandcamp: https://thebandcrusader.bandcamp.com/album/in-for-the-kill