Los Angeles-based White Wizzard is a classic/heavy metal band raised by bassist John Leon as an antidote against the anger and angst of screamo metal. A lofty goal and with two full length albums under their belt there must be a certain demand for them. The Devil’s Cut is this outfit’s third effort, so let’s see what it has to offer.
It would be really easy to pan down White Wizzard as some 80’s metal parody on Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. There are even some slight traces of glam/hair metal in the vein of Motley Crue. They’re from Los Angeles, so I guess it’s pretty difficult to shake off those types of influences. Song titles like ‘Forging The Steel’, ‘Strike The Iron’, ‘Torpedo Of Truth’ and ‘Lightning In My Hands’ pretty much tell the tale. Every guitar lick, drum fill and vocal line comes from the grand book of heavy metal written by the likes of Dio, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest almost thirty years ago. This combined with the somewhat muffled production brings you straight back to the golden age of spandex.
Yet despite the enormous pile of typical heavy metal clichés, The Devil’s Cut is a wickedly entertaining album to listen to. White Wizzard is funny in the same way your average Steven Seagal or Arnold Schwarzenegger flicks are funny. John Leon and his musical partners in crime pull it off with conviction and for some reason they succeed where many of their German and Italian counterparts fail in creating a genuine 80’s metal trip.
The Devil’s Cut by White Wizzard can best be filed under guilty pleasures. It’s a fun album to listen to and I’m sure it’s an instant hit at any classic and heavy metal event.
6.5/10
Raymond Westland