Widow Midnight Strikes…Twice!
by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer
Years before the White Wizzards and Cauldrons of the world came along and captured everyone’s fancy with their newly christened New Wave of Traditional Metal style, North Carolina band Widow was raising the banner for old-school metal with a thoroughly modern energy. The band made its presence known with its 2003 debut Midnight Strikes, an album that quickly sold out but never received the attention it deserved. Now that the musical climate is more receptive to this kind of music, Widow’s debut has been reissued as the aptly titled Midnight Strikes…Twice!
While Widow was not the only band embracing the traditional metal sound early in the decade, it was one of the more exciting bands in a scene that also included Wolf and Twisted Tower Dire. Widow took some of the best elements that made ‘80s-era heavy metal so memorable – the galloping leads, horror and occult-themed lyrics, and a “denim and leather” attitude – and added modern touches like the occasional growled vocal. The result was an exciting and energetic sound that paid tribute to classic bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio and King Diamond as well as newer outfits Children of Bodom and 3 Inches of Blood.
With only eight songs and clocking in at just over 30 minutes, the original Midnight Strikes album was brief, but it was packed wall-to-wall with killer riffs, great melodies, spooky lyrics and just a great classic metal vibe. Highlights include the very Angel Witch-sounding “The Pleasure of Exorcism,” Witch Way” (it’s so badass when the growls come in on that one) and the heavy monster “Empire of Thorns,” but there really isn’t a dull moment to be found.
If you’re into the new traditional metal sound, Midnight Strikes is really a must-have album, especially now that it has been upgraded. The main thing Midnight Strikes…Twice! offers, especially to those of us who already owned the original Midnight Strikes CD, is digitally remastered sound that really breathes new life into these songs. In addition to the remastered audio, Midnight Strikes…Twice! features plenty of extras. You get expanded liner notes, a six-song Midnight Strikes-era live performance as bonus video content and Widow’s complete five-song No Stone Unturned demo EP as bonus tracks. Like all dive-bomb reissues, Midnight Strikes…Twice! is limited to 1,000 copies and is only available in CD format – no MP3s.
One last note: As you might expect, Widow is an absolute blast live. Check ‘em out if you have the chance!
Genre: Traditional Metal
Band:
Cristof Bennett (g) (v)
John E. Wooten IV (v) (g)
Joshua Pantke (b)
Tim Haisman (d)
Michael Lancaster (d, bonus tracks)
Track Listing:
1. The Pleasure of Exorcism
2. Witch Way
3. Angel Sin
4. Nightchild
5. Inside the Sign
6. No Stone Unturned
7. Empire of Thorns
8. Reunion
9. Angel Sin (demo version)
10. Reunion (demo version)
11. No Stone Unturned (demo version)
12. Empire of Thorns (demo version)
13. Inside the Sign (demo version)
Label: Tribunal/Divebomb
Website: www.widowusa.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10