### Mean Streak: Declaration of war

#### 24/02/11 || Altmer

I think I know what to expect with this album. Sure enough, in concomitant fashion with the title, the album starts with gunfire. It then goes into, slightly less expected, straight, full-on 80s heavy metal territory replete with Edguy vocals. I am now not impressed. Judas Priest want their stolen material back, guys. It’s well done 80s metal with a shitty vocalist. I can see the motherfucker on stage already, wearing his gay leather spandex pants. However, I thought this fad ended twenty-five years ago? People apparently still like and play this style of metal.

But here’s the deal. If you’ve heard one of these albums you’ve pretty much heard them all and it’s no different for this stuff. I reviewed Enforcer a while back and I have much the same opinion on them as I have on this shit here: the guitar players (who carry the music) are fantastic, the drummer must be bored as shit, the bassist plays gallops, the vocalist has no balls, and the lyrics suck so much it’s not funny. This is no different. I just wish people would STOP with this stuff already since we’ve got more than enough 80s tribute bands to sink our teeth in and these guys aren’t particularly bad at it, but originality weeps tears of blood here.

I think I don’t even want to spend more time on this review than that. There’s absolutely, literally, nothing you can get from this record that you can’t get from any other album in the style. Quality is present, but I like my music more original than this. If you are a fan of 80s metal, indulge yourself, definitely, but my cup of tea this ain’t.

Recommendation: Since your hearts obviously burn for this stuff, continue doing what you love, but don’t send the albums to me to be reviewed. Find someone that loves 80s metal instead. Because I could care less about this album. Yes, even with a fictional almost naked lady on the cover. This is old shtick and I’ve passed on to newer things.

- Information
- Released: 2011
- Label: Black Lodge Records
- Website: Mean Streak MySpace
- Band
- Andy La Guerin: vocals
- Patrik Gardberg: guitars
- David Andersson: guitars
- Peter Andersson: bass
- Jonas Källsbäck: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Declaration of War
- 02. In For the Kill
- 03. Crimson Sky
- 04. The End of the Rainbow
- 05. As You Sow You Shall Reap
- 06. No Mans Land
- 07. Brothers til the End
- 08. Sons of Metal
- 09. Sign In the Sky
- 10. History of Lies
- 11. The Oblation