3 INCHES OF BLOOD

3 INCHES OF BLOOD
ADVANCE AND VANQUISH (2004)
320 KBPS

To start off, look at the front cover - it is quite easy to tell that this is a band with a sense of humor. While being a band that knows how to have fun, they still manage to create some very tight metal that seems to be steeped in NWOBHM.
This album obviously has a strong emphasis on vocals, seeing as there are two vocalists for the band, both of which are the core members. The first vocalist being Cam Pipes, who sings in a falsetto traditional metal voice - most comparable to Rob Halford on 'Painkiller.' The second vocalist being Jamie Hooper, doing metalcore type screams. The metalcore screams are almost definitely the reason people are wary of this band on first listen, but after becoming accustomed to them they actually prove to be a key part of the bands unique sound. While these harsh vocals give a nice little punch when used as backing vocals, and do a great job filling in certain gaps, they do seem out of place at times; which is probably the reason many people dislike this band.
For the most part, the song writing is fantastic. As previously stated the bands sound has a very traditional metal tone to it, partly because of Cam Pipes' singing, but mostly because of the solid riffing. Songs like 'Destroy The Orcs' and 'Swordmaster' are grand examples of this classic guitar work (the latter which sounds like its straight from a Running Wild song). The lyrics are all overtly cheesy, yet humorous and well written, the title of the song 'Wykydtron' speaks for itself. Another of these cheesy songs - 'Deadly Sinners' is a highlight of the album and proved to be their breakthrough hit track. An instant metal anthem, it seems to be a double edged sword; It's one of those "uniting metalheads" songs, which at the same time seems to a be a silly little jab at metalheads who take themselves too seriously.
While it can't be said there are any bad guitar work on the album, but at the same time some of these songs seem kind of aimless, like they are just a compilation of neat riffs rather than an actual song. It appears as if they had a lot of good ideas, but didn't expand on these ideas well enough to have a good full song.
All in all it is an extremely fun little album, revisiting classic metal sounds while creating an original sound. A highly recommended piece of metal.

1. Fear on the Bridge (Upon the Boiling Sea I)
2. Deadly Sinners
3. Revenge is a Vulture
4. Dominion of Decent
5. Premonition of Pain
6. Lord of the Storm (Upon the Boiling Sea II)
7. Wykydtron
8. Swordmaster
9. Axes of Evil
10. Crazy Nights
11. Destroy the Orcs
12. The Phantom of the Crimson Cloak
13. Isle of Eternal Despair (Upon the Boiling Sea III)