ICY STEEL from Italy play true, epic metal like MANOWAR, JUDAS PRIEST and early METALLICA. Throw in some MANILLA ROAD and BATTLEROAR and you’ve got a tasty little gem in your hands.

Their sophomore full-length, As the Gods Command, is a glorious metal album. The amount of ass kicking riffs and shredding guitar solos makes this album a spectacular piece of work. Vocalist Stefano Galeano is a good fit for ICY STEEL’s sound. He has a rough and raspy voice and manages to hit a few high notes here and there. It’s a kind of un- spectactular voice at first, but then it grabs you. He has similarities to James Hetfield and Eric Adams.

And on As the Gods Command, epic, is not an understatement. The songs themselves are long, but never seem to drag. With 12 tracks totaling over 70 minutes worth of music, it’s a headbangers wet dream. It’s also an instrumentalist’s joy because the songs are glorified solos and riffs with the vocals based around its framework. ICY STEEL prove they have the chops, but they’re not overly technical. The guitars are sharp but with an edgy and raw sound, not overproduced at all.

The 6 plus minute instrumental, "The Persistance of Time," mixes elements of thrash, MAIDEN gallops and middle eastern and acoustic parts, which sound very majestic. "Mjöllnir" sounds like classic MANOWAR, calling to mind "Defender," from Fighting the World. Its guitar leads really carry the song. The riffs, solos and songwriting on As the Gods Command is just superior in every way.

If you’re a fan of epic heavy metal, then I highly recommend As the Gods Command.