GRETZKY

These Canadians, three guitars and a drummer, do a fine job of conjuring up metallic memories of dark clubs filled with youths in straightlegs and old leather, and the familiar odors of smoke, sweat, dust, alchohol, and ozone. Though we are spared the redundant riffing and vacuous singing so common in that realm, and could have used these guys back when "progressive metal" was still just a phrase knocked around by musicians.

Electro Quarterstaff do what was perceived as progmetal before it was a genre, fulfilling that promise if a bit late. Of course they are much more than retro bangers and though the numeric bricks of Metallica, Maiden and Exodus are present, this band takes more risks and isn't afraid to get dirtier than those groups. The three guitars work together amazingly well and the drummer Keith Moons his way through it all, somehow managing to keep reasonable time. 'Neckwrecker' throws us right into the shards of glass and develops a thick wall of tasteful tri-harmonic melody. 'Twisted Squid' jerks around with very impressive patterns and military leanings, 'Charmony' pulls back a touch and lets some musicality in, and 'The Right to Arm Bears' & 'Get Sick' are nut-crunchingly good army metal.

'Titanium Overlords' pushes through with plenty of stuck-pig harmonics and relentless solid gear, 'Eyepatch Romance' is in a Michael Schenker vein, and 'Something's Awry in the Hetfield of Dreams' is an obvious tribute. Classic Bay Area influenced progmetal with a modern post-Thrash freedom that allows Electro Quarterstaff to do what they want when they want.