As retro metal replications go, American headbangers The Watcher have created one of the best in the shape of their new full-length offering, Out of the Dark.

Generally, to my mind at least, these sort of projects are largely redundant, especially if the sounds created pertain to a band that is still in some sort of ongoing state itself. The Watcher have created a doubly stiff rod for their backs in this case, because, thanks to the remarkable vocal prowess of singer Paden Reed, Out of the Dark often brings to mind two bands not only still extant but also in the rudest of health.

Y’see at times, Reed is a dead ringer vocally for one of Britain’s most enduring throatsmiths, Brian Ross, meaning that very often Blitzkrieg and Satan come to mind – and yet, remarkably, The Watcher overcome this handicap with a set of songs that have not only the stamp of NWoBHM authenticity but also a freshness, vigour and punch that is unmistakably of the now.

The Revelator seems to mix the old and the new best, but If I’m being honest these blokes are so skilled as songwriters that they imbue all of the tracks here with an otherworldly timelessness that just works. On another day the title track or Burning World might snag the ear and become your faves for a while, and this is definitely an album that gives up something new to enjoy every time you bring it out to play.

Kill Or Be Killed really gets the blood pumping – you can imagine a young Ulrich getting very excited about this one in a parallel universe – and comes complete with a guitar solo that’ll haye your fingers twitching manically, whilst the galloping The Final Hour is pretty exciting too in it’s ability to get the listener fully involved in a range of ‘air’ instrumentation. This is that kind of record, and I really can’t recommend it highly enough.

Out of the Dark is out now.