Skanners
Factory Of Steel

May 2011
Released: 2011, Indie
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: JP

Skanners are one of those odd underground bands that have been around forever, since 1982 believe it or not, but are not on the tip of people’s tongues. They have only been moderately productive with a mere six albums in just under 30 years and the fact that they have skipped around smaller labels hasn’t helped increase their exposure.



FACTORY OF STEEL just may be the album to change that. (We hope) I’ve never heard an Italian Power Metal band sound so German! Or eighties. Actually that is a really good combination 80’s German Power Metal...hell this could be a long lost album by Tyran Pace or somebody. Suffice to say, FACTORY OF STEEL have a quite retro style, without being ‘retro’ because they were there in the beginning. There is still quite a bit or Rock ‘n’ Roll mixed into the Metal, really really catchy choruses, simple arrangements, straight-ahead delivery, letting simple riffs lead the charge. The title song ‘Factory Of Steel’ has the most infectious chorus I’ve heard in a long time. In fact virtually every cut has a sing-along chorus with some sort of big gang vocal, loud and proud.



The singer, Claudio Pisoni sounds a lot like vocalist K2 of Absolute Steel, maybe with a hint of Ralf Scheepers as well; a bit gruff but still able to stretch it out to hit the heights once in a while. The drums thump along in a real basic, rock time-keeping way, bring back Accept to mind, no frills just pounding. The guitars grind along, nice soloing as heard on cuts like ‘Hard And Pure’.



FACTORY OF STEEL is an example of how Metal can be done right without frills, and without compromise. Anthemic, punchy, heavy and hard with a sense melody, the songs are the strength of the day. If you like stuff like Sacred Steel, Centurion and old Primal Fear, this will be up your alley. Is it ‘heavy’ enough for today’s young fans who demand extremity at every turn, probably not, but for us older fans who enjoy a good ol’ mid-paced head-bang will eat this up.