Cauldron Chained To The Nite
by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer
It was bound to happen sooner or later. Someone finally slapped a label on the recent revival of adjective-free heavy metal that has been gaining momentum worldwide. Bands that worship at the altars of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden are now being classified as the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM). Even the acronym is old school metal! The trend tag wasn’t unexpected, but it is somewhat odd that Canadian band Cauldron, a relative newcomer to the scene, seems to have emerged as the standard bearers of the genre. You’d think it would be Wolf, who has been blazing the trail for nearly a decade, Icarus Witch, or what seems like half the population of Raleigh, N.C., (Twisted Tower Dire, Widow, et al).
Cauldron, which emerged from the ashes of thrash band Goat Horn, may not be the first band to eschew sub-genre trappings and opt for a straight-up heavy metal sound, but there’s no denying the fact that they do it well. Chained to the Night is the band’s first full-length album (coming after the Into the Cauldron EP), and it’s an absolutely fierce slab of uncompromising old-school metal. It’s a cross between the classic NWOBHM and early Metal Massacre sounds, only with a modern edge and energy. Chained to the Night is all metal guitar hooks, fist-pumping choruses and songs about chains, witches, the night, chains around witches, chains in the night, and possibly witches being chained in or around the night. Songs like “Conjure the Mass,” “Midnite Hour” and “Bound to the Stake” are exactly what you need to shake off the endless sub-categorization (progressive/power metal, melodic Swedish death metal, etc.) and get back to the pure, unadulterated heavy metal sound that we all fell in love with in the first place.
If you’ve been enjoying the traditional metal revival that has been going on in recent years (and really, why wouldn’t you?), you’ll definitely want to check out Canada’s contribution to the NWOTHM. Sew a Cauldron patch on the back of your denim jacket, strap on your spiked wristbands, and crank this one up. Cauldron is bringing back old-school heavy metal with a vengeance.
Note – Initial CD pressings of Chained to the Nite feature a pair of bonus tracks (“The Striker Strikes” and “Restless”). These tracks were not included on the version of Chained to the Nite provided to Hardrock Haven, so they have not been reviewed.
Lineup:
Jason Decay – Bass, Vocals
Chris Rites – Drums
Ian Kilpatrick – Guitar
Online: www.myspace.com/cauldronmetal
Track Listing:
1. Young and Hungry
2. Conjure the Mass
3. Chained Up in Chains
4. The Leaven/Fermenting Enchantress
5. Dreams Die Young
6. Bound To the Stake
7. Witch Trial
8. Midnite Hour
9. Chains Around Heaven
HRH Rating: 7.5/10