Ambush has
always had a more accessible edge compared to most of their peers in the NWOTHM
movement and that’s especially true on their third album. Infidel seems to have
mixed influences from Scorpions and Dokken in with their usual Riot and Judas Priest;
the backing vocals are noticeably cleaner throughout and the rhythms on songs
like “Yperite” and lead single “Hellbiter” would feel right at home on Blackout
or Love at First Sting.
Thankfully the
shift is incorporated gradually enough to avoid sounding watered down. A good
majority of Infidel keeps to the blazing power metal speeds established on the
band’s first two albums and songs like the title track and “Iron Helm of War”
are rife with gang shouts and soaring guitar solos and harmonies. The darker
tone on “A Silent Killer” makes for another strong track, drawing comparisons
to such groups as Midnight Priest and Satan’s Hallow.
The album also
benefits from a strong production job and great musicianship. The mix is
pristinely balanced, but the bass and guitars come out especially strong, the
former displaying more booming prominence and the latter putting in the band’s
beefiest tone thus far. There’s a punchiness that makes things breezy regardless
of the tempo at hand and the vocals keep that Tony Moore-style range quite
nicely.
Much like the
recent albums by Traveler and RAM, Ambush’s third album is affirmation that
some extra catchiness can go a long way in making meat and potatoes metal more
enticing. The contagious enthusiasm alone would be enough for a safe
recommendation to classic metal fans, but the strong writing and energetic
playing forge the band’s best achievement to date. Five years is a long gap for
such a stylistically conventional album, but its masterful execution is more than
worth the wait.
Highlights:
“Yperite”
“Yperite”
“Hellbiter”
“A Silent Killer”
“Heart of Stone”
“Lust for Blood”
Final Grade: A-
