Elegant Weapons

This is a firepower never seen before in the world of metal. A band that aims straight and shoots with unparalleled precision. Their weapons are their instruments, their voices, their emotions and a sense of melody that hits home. With a line-up that even the most seasoned metalheads wouldn't dare to imagine, they're kicking the crap out of the crowd and are ready to send out a big sound.

Because Elegant Weapons is first and foremost two Judas Priest legends, Richie Faulkner on guitar and Scott Travis on drums, joined by Ronnie Romero on vocals and Rex Brown from Pantera on bass. That's for the studio part, because on tour Dave Rimmer handles the growling lines and Christopher Williams takes over on drums.

And no matter how you set it up, their music takes you by storm. "A heavy, melodic and appealing sound, somewhere between modern and ancient" according to Faulkner. But we'd go a step further. Because this mix of Jimi Hendrix, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne is a demonstration of heavy metal. Endlessly catchy guitar solos, a heaviness that instantly makes you want to shake your head and rhythms on amphetamines.

There's no doubt about it, it shakes you to the core and you wouldn't expect anything less from the quartet. For Richie, it's more a necessity than a choice. He doesn't get along with acoustics, but he never slows down the tempo. The thrilling Do or Die, the fastest track on their first album, is a perfect reflection of the idea behind Elegant Weapons: "to keep the flag flying for this timeless heavy metal style".