Metal Cross have delivered their debut full length album, Soul Ripper.  Soul Ripper is a step back in time to when the music was everything.  The music, though having that old school feel is fresh, heavy and has a great range of hooks to pull you in. The vocals throughout are strong, clean and the rhythm section drives the album along nicely.  Guitar work is strong with a lot of strong riffs throughout, solid solos sparingly used.

Thirty-eight years after their first rehearsal, seven years after their now mythical concert reunion at Metal Magic Festival, Danish cult heavy metal band Metal Cross is now ready to announce its first studio album, Soul Ripper. The upcoming and long-awaited full-length record shows a band on top of their game, melting together the classic heavy metal of their now cult eighties demos Crucifying The Virgins and M.A.D.H.O.U.S.E. with a renewed power and energy. It will indeed rip your soul and leave you thirsty for more from this Scandinavian heavy metal powerhouse.

The band get it right from the opening track My Time.  The track is a great way to start and piques the interest of this reviewer immediately.  Fast tempo riff to kick off and immediately my head is nodding.  The album runs through eight tracks rounding out at about forty three minutes. This gives the listener a decent journey throughout.

Written in the Sand is probably my favourite of all tracks.  It is a journey through dominating riffages and tempos, with a vocal performance that reminds me of great bands like Helloween and Blind Guardian, and touches of Metal Church.  Other songs put me in the mind of a mix between Forbidden and Running Wild.

All in all, a great listen and has me recollecting my youth of spending countless hours just immersing myself in an album.

Soul Ripper was released on 25 February through From The Vaults.  Check it out.