Release Date: March 08th 2026. Record Label: Ripple Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl.
Axe Dragger - Tracklisting
1. Axe Dragger
2. Give You The Rope
3. Fight Another Day
4. Iron Rider
5. Eat Me From The Inside
6. Shock 'Em Dead
7. El Toro
8. The Damned Will Cry
9. Fire In The Madhouse
10. Death Is Calling My Name
Members
Terry Glaze - vocals
Bob Balch - guitars
Fredrik Isaksson - bass guitar
Pete Campbell - drums
Review
Calling a new band a super group is always a tricky proposition. Bringing established and renowned musicians together for a project disappoints much more often than it excites. Too many ideas and strong wills throws a wrench in the proceedings. That is not the case with the super group Axe Dragger however, quite the opposite in fact. Consisting of Terry Glaze (Pantera), Bob Balch (Fu Manchu, Big Scenic Nowhere), Fredrik Isaksson (Dark Funeral, Grave, Therion) and Pete Campbell (Pentagram, In-Graved, Place Of Skulls) Axe Dragger really came together and forged one hell of an album full of brilliant old school heavy metal but recorded with modern technology. Thus making it so rich and full in sound!
The title track, 'Axe Dragger' opens up the proceedings and unleashes a tight, razor sharp guitar and a crushing rhythm section. The band goes for weight instead of speed something which works great. 'Give You The Rope' follows and is full tilt heavy metal as the band goes for the jugular. Great guitar solo. Dropping in pace a little, 'Fight Another Day' is dark and lurking and chock-full of bad-ass riffs...great song, indeed! 'Iron Rider' is like 70's blues-influenced Whitesnake mixed with Iron Maiden with some Dio thrown into the cauldron. Doesn't get much better than this! Keeping it slow and punishing 'Eat Me From The Inside' is also sinister and claustrophobic and works wonderfully well.
Everything flows so well in 'Shock 'Em Dead' which gets an immediate grip and won't let up...again, listen to those riffs! 'El Toro' definitely lives up to its name by unleashing a total onslaught like a raging bull. Beware because Axe Dragger will pulverize you. 'The Danbed Will Cry' is gripping right from the start. Again the band goes for weight instead of speed something which is their trademark in lack of better words. Axe Dragger ups the pace on 'Fire In The Madhouse' with these razor sharp riffs leading the way. Controlled chaos which suits this neckbreaker perfectly. This excelent debut ends with 'Death Is Calling My Name'. It's eerie with a strong sense of impending doom hanging over it as the band takes it away.
This international quartet put the bar very high with this brilliant debut. It's such a relief when seasoned players continue to create music that is great and matters. Personally it means music is truly well and alive and keeps pushing boundaries. 'Axe Dragger' is an album which be in every record collection out there, don't miss out!
Words by Håkan Nyman
Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.
Axe Dragger is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music.
Links
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