Death Dealer – Fuel Injected Suicide Machine (EP Review)

Fury road revisited.

There’s a very plausible school of thought out there that once one hits a streak, the best course of action is to keep it going by following up as soon as humanly possible. In the case of California-born super group and gritty speed meets power metal quintet Death Dealer, the dual disposition of hitting pay dirt with a pivotal third studio LP in “Conquered Lands” and the touring stagnation caused by the Covid lockdowns left them with both the incentive and free time to raise the aforementioned concept to an art form of sorts. Reprising the viciously raw yet highly refined and polished blend of vintage Judas Priest and USPM sounds a la Jag Panzer and Helstar with the slightly more methodical trappings of recent German speed metal output by the likes of Primal Fear and Paragon, they have wound up chasing their acclaimed 2020 album with an equally potent yet significantly shorter EP in “Fuel Injected Suicide Machine,” a fitting name for a four song homage to gritty dystopian cinema after the mold of The Road Warrior and Fury Road.

Though the formula at play here will no doubt ring familiar for anyone who has heard the vintage metallic thunder of “Painkiller” and the slightly more recent power thrashing mayhem of Iced Earth with Tim Owens at the helm, the sheer ferocity on display is of a far less common character. Some of this naturally owes to the recent acquisition of famed Symphony X bassist Mike LePond, who’s forceful and glassy tone has breathed an unmistakable level of darkness and fury into every project to which he has attached himself. But when taking stock of the relentless barrage put forth by former Into Eternity drummer Steve Bolognese (his contributions to “The Incurable Tragedy” continue to reverberate in metal’s mighty halls some 14 years later), to speak nothing for the twin guitar assault of former Manowar axe-slinger Ross The Boss and ex-Dungeon shredder Stu Marshall, along with Rob Halford’s younger brother from another mother and Cage singer Sean Peck, it’s a foregone conclusion that an unstoppable juggernaut of sound would be the result of any corresponding recording effort.

“Fuel Injected Suicide Machine” Album Artwork

Perhaps the only thing as gripping as the masterful musical execution on display here is this outfit’s uncanny ability to imply a cinematic visual to match the album’s content. The obvious homage to the Mad Max films presented on the cover art is made even more manifest by a brief intro narrative dubbed “The Dead Never Listen” that brilliantly sets the stage for the drunk on burning petroleum metallic display that follows. With a blazing roar, Death Dealer’s signature brand of high octane, pedal to the metal speed cracks the air with a pair of thrash-adjacent cruisers in title anthem “Fuel Injected Suicide Machine” and “Blood For Gasoline”, each opting for a concise blend of furious riffing and occasion bouts of virtuosic guitar soloing as Peck’s banshee wails all but steal the show. Then again, things prove no less formidable when the tempo draws back to more of a mid-paced, Accept circa 1983 meets Priest’s “The Rage” type of rocking groove on “Freedom Is Not A Crime”, and the de facto epic closer “Invasion” loses none of its climactic character despite opting for more of a Hammerfall-inspired melodic march with a grittier edge.

Despite the obvious temptation for over-indulgence that tends to dog super groups such as this, Death Dealer has proven all but totally immune to this pitfall and has placed a greater emphasis on memorable songwriting and a disciplined whole rather than an endless barrage of virtuosic solos and inhuman vocal gymnastics. In fact, the only real flaw that could be identified here is that this fold plays it a bit safe on the guitar front, with LePond’s bass work often coming off as the most adventurous card in the deck. Likewise, the compact character of the songwriting, in obvious contract to the more drawn out compositions heard from similar contemporary super groups such as Spirits Of Fire and Circle II Circle, can come off as slightly reserved and even conservative at times. But when all is said and done, this is 17 minutes of vintage US power metal with a modern production gloss that will play well to those who go for the more stripped down take on the Teutonic speed metal style and the early 90s heavy metal with a thrashing edge sound. Rev up the engines and prepare to meet the marauders of the wastelands head on!

Released By: Street Cartel Cartel
Release Date: February 25th, 2022
Genre: Heavy Metal

Musicians:

• Ross The Boss / Guitars
• Sean Peck / Vocals
• Mike Lepond / Bass
• Stu Marshall / Guitars
• Steve Bolognese / Drums

“Fuel Injected Suicide Machine” Track listing:

1. The Dead Never Listen
2. Fuel Injected Suicide Machine
3. Freedom Is Not A Crime
4. Blood For Gasoline
5. Invasion