Certain albums can fire all the right chambers to ignite the passion for heavy metal once again. Especially if the movement has captured your life for over forty-something years as it has with this scribe. Starting out of the ashes of Torpëdo through vocalist/guitarist Florian Fait and bassist Danny Keck during the pandemic, Mechanic Tyrants is a four-piece outfit that blend together a speedy traditional meets progressive cocktail of influences through this first full-length St. Diemen Riots. Splitting the record between a half-concept theme (a la 2112 from Rush) and a regular slate of songs, these Germans know their way around the art of songwriting, delivering dynamic performances set to win over even the most critical of consumers.
The first five songs convey a dystopian tale set in the tumultuous city known as Meanhattan – the key points of the story outlining an oppressive lower class rebelling against society, revealing brutality in its aftermath as the city gets ripped apart due to the strife. Between Florian and second guitarist Jakob Struve’s tasty riffs plus fleet lead break / transition maneuvers (beyond the reflective acoustic “Madrugada” reprieve) these gentlemen capably execute axe play that rivals the best days of Metallica, Megadeth, or current favorites Evil Invaders. They even delve into Screaming for Vengeance-era Judas Priest for the main riffs of highlight anthem “Ruins of the Past”, where Florian as main vocalist also rises to the challenge through his melodic, fast-paced voice that carry the hooks further into the stratosphere. When the band lock into bullet train tempos, it’s off to the races as drummer Orlando Mack slams his kit to abandon, the gang-vocals serving as a command center to go crazy during “Speed Metal Guerilla”, the energy undeniable as the guitars jockey for ‘can you top it’ positioning in the instrumental sections. Mechanic Tyrants aren’t all about speed for speed’s sake – there’s plenty of mid-tempo or catchy-type parts that fit in with early Metallica / Megadeth to cause neck strain for days (“Above the Law” a second half headbanging favorite).
43 minutes of material on St. Diemen Riots serves notice to all speed metal maniacs that Mechanic Tyrants have arrived on the scene determined to prove they can entertain and execute high quality songs. Enforcer and Evil Invaders followers along with fans of the early 80s speed/thrash movement would be remiss if you don’t delve deep into this platter.