Hailing from the Tampa, Florida scene, Midnight Vice are another quartet ready to set the traditional metal scene on fire through their self-titled debut EP. Most ardent followers of the style know where they took their name from (the lead Enforcer track from their sophomore Diamonds album), and it’s quite obvious that the influences take into account the origins from the 70s and 80s on through to the current crop of acts waving the flag high for this style. Originally released digitally on their own, the label boost (along with Savatage bonus cover) hopefully elevates the profile of this group to a wider audience – as the quality output deserves plenty of accolades.
The driving guitar force from Sam Bean becomes incendiary on the opening riffs of “Strike in the Night” – followed by the falsetto-laden melodies and high pitch screams that push singer Tyler Gray into rarified air a la Geoff Tate, Rob Halford, as well as a stronger King Diamond in his prime. Subsequent cuts like “Spellcaster” and “Mysteria” combine aspects of Iron Maiden, Savatage, and classic Judas Priest with a bit of the sophistication that put 90s Megadeth into the commercial sector – the latter containing punchy hooks next to killer double kick passages, thunderous transitions, and a thoughtful lead break to also keep ears pinned with intrigue. “Excalibur” has the heroic riffs plus controlled mid-range sneer in specific verses that come off more Swedish-like (think Wolf) to carry those higher-octane vocal shifts to territory we all know and love in pure heavy metal. After the six originals, we get a special cover of “White Witch” that originally appeared on the ultimate 80s Savatage platter, Hall of the Mountain King. Sam’s careful finesse keeps those Criss Oliva guitar parts tantalizing, while the urgency in Tyler’s voice beyond the rock solid rhythm section foundation from bassist Lakota Stafford and drummer Dennis O’Sullivan makes the song more of their own – hopefully exposing a new, younger generation to this fine act.
The NWOTHM remains active, newer artists weekly delivering some killer efforts. Put Midnight Vice with this self-titled EP in the top of the class. It will be exciting to hear the next recording, as these musicians are well equipped with all the songwriting tools and creative talent to execute a series of mandatory albums if they play their cards right.