Tower Hill are a heavy metal band from Canada formed in 2020, releasing their debut album ‘Deathstalker’ in 2023…
…featuring a traditional metal gallop ala the legendary NWOBHM evolution! Hailing from Alberta (Canada), Tower Hill join an ever-growing list of bands to recently emerge from Canada to follow the path set by legends Anvil and Exciter over four decades ago – bands such as Odinfist, Skull Fist, Striker, Unleash The Archers, Eternal Judgment, Category VI, Iron Kingdom, and Antioch to name just a few. Originally formed as a one-man project by vocalist R.F Traynor, Tower Hill has morphed into a five-piece band – the current line-up consisting of Cam Dakus (bass), Mitchell Stykalo (drums), Cristian Cordeiro (guitar) and Jeremy Puffer (guitar), alongside band founder Traynor.
The nine song strong album explodes into life with the fast and furious title song ‘Deathstalker’, planting both feet firmly on the monitor, adopting the iconic “metal” stance! The band are in full flight here, galloping forth with pace and a slight hint of menace, ‘Deathstalker’ (the song) standing shoulder to shoulder with all the bands mentioned above! The album powers on with the old school metaller ‘The Claw Is The Law’, portraying the glorious sound of the eighties when heavy metal was still in its infancy! ‘The Claw Is The Law’ is a terrific example of how traditional metal should sound, from a band over four thousand miles away from the country that invented it! The UK for anyone who doesn’t know. Tower Hill motor on at pace with the frantic ‘Fighting Spirits’, displaying a rougher feel than either of the two songs heard so far. The phenomenal urgency and purpose remains in full flight, the band not letting the pedal leave the floor for a single second.
So with intensity and pace at an all-time high, Tower Hill marches on with the much heavier ‘Kings Who Die’, displaying the power driven style of metal gods Judas Priest. The Canadian outfit are a young band roaring with immense hunger and desire – desire to deliver head bang-able and infectious heavy metal to the masses! And the masses are gonna lap it up – the album marching forth into anthemic territory courtesy of the thunderous ‘In At The Death’, calling to arms every listener, fan, follower and concertgoer to join as one and unite for heavy metal and Tower Hill. So let’s all form the worlds biggest mosh pit and head bang furiously, as the band strides on full tilt with the galloping ‘All The Little Devils Are Proud Of Hell’ – the urgency and intent increasing more and more the longer the album runs on! ‘Deathstalker’ (the album) has just got better and better song after song, the band encouraging every metalhead everywhere to rise up, raise fists and punch the air – too late Tower Hill, I’ve been doing that since minute one, song one!
And I’m unlikely to stop either, Tower Hill not slowing down for anyone or anything – ‘How Am I’ moving at the most melodious pace of all the songs heard so far, an energetic fervour taking over the airways as echoes of the iconic NWOBHM sound emanate strongly from ‘How Am I’. And if the band are asking “how am I” – I’m fucking fantastic! With a glorious heavy metal soundtrack as good as ‘Deathstalker’ (the album) keeping me company for the last forty-five minutes, life is good right now! Very good! And why wouldn’t it be with the phenomenal pace of ‘Antigone’ lighting up the airways – power and speed coming together perfectly for a breathtaking speedfest! And with the final song about to come over the horizon, ‘Deathstalker’ (the album) and Tower Hill have been one of the years biggest surprises – can’t wait to hear what the band have in store next! But for now, ‘Port Of Saints’ closes a very good album with just as much power, pace and intensity as every other song on offer – maybe a little bit more! Either way ‘Port Of Saints’ brings the curtain down on a sparkling album of all out and in-your-face heavy metal.
Overall, a roller coaster ride of relentless heavy metal, ‘Deathstalker’ is a devastating album of fast paced and infectious head bang ability.
TRACKLIST
Deathstalker
The Claw Is The Law
Fighting Spirits
Kings Who Die
In At The Death
All The Little Devils Are Proud Of Hell
How Am I
Antigone
Port Of Saints
Tower Hill: Facebook
Release Year: 2023
Label: No Remorse Records
Category: Album
Country: Canada
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
