Roadrunner Records
2004
Advance And Vanquish
About This Album
Canadian sextet 3 Inches of Blood struck a deal with none other than Roadrunner Records -- one of the world's most successful heavy metal labels -- prior to recording their sophomore effort, Advance and Vanquish, in 2004, and if that doesn't bode well for their ongoing mission to recycle and re-energize the well-worn thrash and classic metal devices of old, well, then perhaps nothing will. Sparing no thought to subtlety (as usual), choice highlights like "Deadly Sinners," "Premonition of Pain," and the uncharacteristically flippant-of-title "Crazy Nights" show no fear for life or limb as they charge headlong into the fray, their tightly controlled thrashings and reliably over the top lyrics colliding with the intensity of Painkiller-era Judas Priest and the preposterous silliness of Manowar or Dio. Pausing only to wipe their bloody swords clean on the tunics of fallen enemies, the bandmembers also rework first album favorite "Destroy the Orcs" and bring back memories of prime era Accept with tracks like "The Phantom of the Crimson Cloak" and the downright awesome "Dominion of Deceit." And in a move that's sure to distinguish them from most "sword and sorcery"-themed heavy metal bands, 3IOB's songs rarely exceed three or four minutes in length, forcing fans of epic songwriting to content themselves with the three separate tunes -- opening, halving, and closing the LP -- comprising the "Upon the Boiling Sea" suite.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,7,11 and 12)

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