Savage & Dangerous

I discovered Savage Master back in 2020, and I quickly picked up every available record from them that year. I loved everything that the band released, and even Those Who Hunt At Night from 2022 was another solid record from the band. So when I heard that the band was releasing a new record this year, I could not have been more excited.

Dark & Dangerous is pure Savage Master metal through and through. Savage Master have always had that 80's metal influence to their sound, but there is something about this new album that sounds even more 80's. There is a bit more polish to these songs, and even a couple that lean towards ballad territory (without being cringe), but the record is just a head banging good time. Honestly, it feels like if this was released in 1986, people would be talking today that is was a metal classic.

I wasn't sure which colored vinyl option to go with on this one. The black vinyl was the more limited version, but I still felt the need for some colored vinyl... even if it was a splatter pattern. The "dripping candles" red with black splatter was limited to 800.

Gatefold sleeve so that we can have a big photo of Stacey Savage in fishnets.

Savage Master Of The Hunt

At the end of 2019, I finally discovered the band Savage Master, and I then spent 2020 hunting down a copy of each of their records. They were easily one of my favorite bands for that year, and I listened to them a lot. While I haven't really been listening to much metal this year, when I heard that Savage Master had a new album on the way in 2022, that was one that I was really excited for.

Savage Master are part of the New Wave Of Traditional Heavy Metal, and Those Who Hunt At Night is their fourth album (number five if you are counting the Creature Of The Flames EP) and the band continue to grow. I was a bit nervous with the intro bass line to Hunt At Night, as I was afraid it was going to be too poppy and wasn't going to fit what I was looking for from Savage Master, but when the guitars come into the song, and then Stacey gives that "Here we go!", I knew they weren't going to let me down. This entire album is another strong showing from one of my favorite newer bands... pure metal.

It was a tough call on which version to pick up. Savage Master was offering a liquid blood filled vinyl option, and while it was tempting to get one for the collector in me, I just worried about the hassles of storing it, so I opted out. Sitting here today, they are of course all sold out and I'm kind of regretting that choice. Anyway... I'm happy with the look of the "red and black tears" colored vinyl.

I do like a nice gatefold sleeve.

Call Of The Master

No doubt, 2020 has been the year of Savage Master for me. I was introduced to the band at the the very end of 2019 with their Myth, Magic And Steel album, and at the time I said that it "may not be the "best" metal record of 2019, but it is certainly the one that I keep reaching for"...well fuck that noise because I've become so obsessed with the record that at this point, I'm calling it my favorite metal release of 2019.

I haven't been able to get enough Savage Master, and before we were too deep into 2020 I'd picked up both the band's debut album, Mask Of The Devil, and their 12 inch EP, Creature Of The Flames, plus their Black Hooves 7 inch. That left only the With Whips And Chains album left for me to pick up to complete the collection, so without delaying it any further, I grabbed that one too.

I don't know what it is about this band, but I love them so fucking much. Every album is metal perfection, and a fantastic throwback to the early 80's when straight forward heavy metal was king. With Whips And Chains is Savage Master's second album, and I can't get enough of it. Man, I'm really bummed that their show with Midnight in Boston was cancelled due to COVID-19 earlier this year...that shit would have been a blast.

200 pressed on transparent purple vinyl with a giant poster for the second pressing.

Mask Of The Savage Master

This year I have been all over Savage Master. I really started to discover them at the end of 2019, with their new album, Myth, Magic And Steel, and before I knew it they became a full-on obsession. Seriously, if I'd heard that album sooner, it would have easily worked it's way near the top of my Top 10 list for the year. When it was announced that Savage Master were going to be playing in Boston with Midnight this Spring, I quickly bought a ticket and was excited at the thought of being able to check out the band live. Well, COVID-19 certainly fucked up that plan as the show ended up getting cancelled...but at least I could use the refunded ticket money to buy a new record.

Mask Of The Devil was Savage Master's first album and was released back in 2014..so yeah, it took me about six years to finally discover the band. I can't believe it took me so long, as this band is straight up early 80's metal worship. This stuff would have fit in perfectly with Metal Blade's roster in '83/'84, and it is a style that I can get down with anytime.

Good look with the transparent orange/gold colored vinyl.

Savage Master Of The Flames

Savage Master have quickly become my newest obsession. I was a bit late in checking them out, and didn't really start listening to their new album, Myth, Magic & Steel, until the last week of December. If I'd been paying attention sooner, there is no doubt that their new record would have shot to the top of my Top 10 list for the year. In one month, I probably listened to that album more than any other 2019 metal release for the past year. I haven't been able to get enough Savage Master, so I quickly started checking out some more of their back catalog.

The Creature Of The Flames EP was released back in 2017, and when I saw that Shadow Kingdom Records still had it available in their store, I quickly grabbed one. Good thing I moved on it when I did because they are now sold out of it.

This 12 inch EP contains four Savage Master songs, plus a cover of Death & Glory from the old NWOBHM band Holocaust. Holy shit. I fucking love these songs. For some odd reason this EP isn't on Spotify, so I haven't been able to listen to it while at work, but I've been making sure to spin the vinyl a lot when I get home.

450 pressed on this "transparent beer" colored vinyl.

While on my Savage Master spree, I also found a US seller that had the Black Hooves single available at a fair price.

Originally released back in 2015 as a single for the With Whips And Chains album, featuring Black Hooves on the a side, with the b side containing a cover of Riot's Swords and Tequila. This band can do no wrong with me at this point.

300 pressed on orange vinyl.

Savage Myth, Magic And Steel

New metal records felt a bit underwhelming in 2019, and for the most part I wasn't strongly pushing any of the records from my Top Ten list. They were good albums, but there wasn't much on there that I was excited about. Now that 2019 is done and dusted, suddenly I've stumbled upon a record that I have been giving daily spins.

I'd seen the name Savage Master tossed around a bit over the last couple of years, but I never had any desire to check them out until I was recently in the Shadow Kingdom store, and saw one of their promotional ads for their third and latest album, Myth, Magic And Steel. The cover art looked great, and I figured that I'd check out the video for the title track. Oh damn. I was immediately hooked with that one video...man, that thing is just fucking fun to watch.

Savage Master play an old school traditional metal style. Seriously, this stuff sounds like it was pulled straight off an early Metal Massacre compilation. We aren't breaking any new ground here, but who fucking cares. Let's just bang our heads!

I mean look at that band photo from the inside gatefold sleeve! That is a band that has my attention! This may not be the "best" metal record of 2019, but it is certainly the one that I keep reaching for and giving it multiple spins.