Review Summary: Good NWOBHM-style heavy metal for the 2010s.
Canada’s Cauldron are another new band who are playing heavy metal as if it were 1982 all over again. Their second album Burning Fortune has NWOBHM written all over it, and that’s not a bad thing. This album has a very retro feel, not only in songwriting but also in production and overall sound - it sounds like it was actually recorded in ‘82. There are a few gems on here, and is very enjoyable and fun to listen to as there are plenty of catchy riffs and choruses. All of the songs are pretty short, simple and catchy, and come from the same mold. My one complaint would be a lack of variety as the songs all have similar tempos and don’t really explore too much ground. There are four tracks out of nine which I would consider as excellent, they are 'All or Nothing', 'Miss You to Death', 'Tears Have Come', and 'Rapid City/Unchained Assault'. 'Tears Have Come' is my favorite of the bunch, as it has a good flowing chorus and a nice groove. 'Rapid City/Unchained Assault' is the heaviest track with its' thrashy-riffing. The rest of the songs are solid, but they sort of all blend together, and nothing here is particularly new or original sounding. The four aforementioned songs could have been NWOBHM staples, had the been released 30 years prior.
Overall the musicianship is solid, and the vocalist has a good, but un-polished delivery - also suiting the music very well. There are also some nice, biting riffs, and shredding leads sprinkled throughout. Fans of NWOBHM bands like Angel Witch and Raven, as well as fans of balls-ier hair metal bands like early Ratt and Twisted Sister will all find something to like here.
