Review of Maelkar's CD "Dresden Fire Fight"

Maelkar: Dresden Fire Fight

Nottingham's Maelkar are a fierce sounding guitar slaughtering 3-piece. It's heavy, it's metal, it's grrr and unlike so many before attempting such a sonic blitz it's catchy and inventive.

Blending the nu-rock generation sensibilities of System of a Down, with the alternative thump of the Mars Volta, with the wall of guitar of Ten Benson and the melodic sympathies of Queens of the Stone Age these four songs serve as neat introduction.

It won't be everybody's slice of cake but the band mix-up the delivery enough to keep even the shortest of attention spans focused. Of the four cuts here the excellent "Here comes the engines" rules the roost closely followed by the motoring growl of "Seize the airport". If any criticism can be levied the tracks merge together a little and over the course of an album it could lose its edge. The production sadly softens the impact, feeling as it does a little too condensed and short on the maximum beef required.

• www.maelkar.co.uk

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