There is absolutely nothing wrong with nostalgia. There is absolutely nothing wrong with homage. And there’s also absolutely nothing wrong with a band whose sound is based entirely of the hard rock and NWOBHM in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. If you’re looking for a little blast from the past, The Dagger is probably going to give you your fix.
The Dagger is one of the newest acts to Century Media’s roster. And if you couldn’t tell from the teaser, the band, and this self-titled release is an affectionate throwback to bands like Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden and other influential bands of the NWOBHM. In the first released single, “Ahead Of You All”, the Priest influences are extremely evident almost immediately. Other songs like “Electric Dawn” showcase more of a side from Iron Maiden. And then there are songs like “Ballad of an Old Man” which show their more bluesy and darker side.
It’s actually quite difficult to be descriptive of the band’s sound, when the sound is clearly taken from NWOBHM. Honestly, if you’re familiar with their aforementioned influences (which I’m assuming most if not all of you are) then you already know what to expect on the album. Dueling guitars, dark and brooding riffs, power hungry vocals, and all the other elements that defined the genre for an entire generation of metalheads are all very much present.
That isn’t to say they are just some Priest rip-off or that they have nothing else to offer. I mean, if we’re being completely honest with ourselves here, this album is the height of unoriginality. Not to mention, this isn’t exactly the first band to have their sound in the vein of the NWOBHM. But, the genuineness and clear passion The Dagger has for the music of this time, and not only to revere it but to recreate and pay homage as well, just makes you forget that this isn’t anything new. On the contrary, all I wanted to do was listen to more.
The production value is also pretty spot on. Every, and I mean every, attention to detail in the production can fool you into believing this was recorded on analog tape about 40 years ago. The overdrive on the guitars is so pitch perfect, you could almost swear it was Iron Maiden. The vocals are tastefully done as well; it’s got just enough subtle reverb to think you might be starting to trip, but nothing is over the top at all. It’s just the right balance. You especially hear this attention to detail in the drums: a nice fat snare sound, just a little bit of slapback on the toms, and there’s even phaser effect during a fill on “Dogs Of Warning”. Again, extreme attention to detail, but with just the perfect balance on each element.
If your roots are deeply grounded in the NWOBHM, you’re absolutely going to love this album. The influences on The Dagger are clear as day, but they don’t hinder this 2014 release in any way. It really just makes for an extremely promising debut from The Dagger.
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