On Top - Top Heavy

Since my time writing this blog, I've covered many different strains of metal, as my tastes are quite wide I think but I've not really covered any bands who play metal that's been inspired by those early protagonists, where true metal crossed with rock n roll and even hair metal! On Top are here to remedy that with their album Top Heavy. On Top are a power trio who take their cues from bands like Dio and early Megadeth. Top Heavy was released in late 2011 by the affectionately named Horror Pain Gore Death Productions.

Tracklist:-

1. Top Heavy
2. Into The Night
3. Sleepless
4. Sick and Tired
5. Another Night of Sleaze
6. Die High
7. Fire Down Below
8. Hot 'N' Wet
9. Success and Excess
10. Up To No Good
11. Too Much

Top Heavy begins with the title track, which is an intro of epic proportions, with a killer virtuoso guitar and drum solo. Into The Night kicks off straight after with a great true metal intro and vocals that remind me of Death Angel. The impact of the music is lessened slightly by On Top only having the one guitar, but when it's this rocking it doesn't matter. The solo played on Into The Night is a sign of the histrionics that On Top inject into their music and thankfully they fit in perfectly.

Sleepless again shows that On Top have some thrash influences in their arsenal.

The production on here helps to make the sound clear and the makes the instruments come alive. The drums hold everything together along with the upbeat base lines.

An example of this is in third song Sick and Tired.

The music on the album follows a simple formula of uncomplicated rock n roll inspired metal and while some people may see this as a cliché, it's actually a good bridge between 80s revivalist's and true, original metal worship. The band that actually comes to mind the more I listen is a band called Silvertide, except Silvertide had more melody.

These songs seem to breeze past and don't outstay their welcome. The song titles and lyrics are pure rock n roll as well, just check out sixth track Die High. The drumming at the start of Fire Down Below is great and shows that they can groove. Again the guitar solo steals the show during Fire Down Below.

Hot 'N' Wet is a quick blast, of sleazy and dirty rock n roll. The lyrics and theme of the song do their bit to hammer that point home! Success and Excess could well be a song about what On Top want to achieve with Top Heavy. It's got everything you need to have a damn good headbang, with great guitar riffs and a killer rhythm section.

The album closes out with two final slabs of heavy metal mayhem, with Up To No Good and Too Much. This is the kind of album that would get cranked up to 11 when you just want to kick back and enjoy some good old rock n roll. It's played really well by a band that really cares about the quality of the music that they put out. Even if you don't listen to anymore classic heavy metal album this yea, just listen to this and enjoy the summer, if it ever appears!

Now On Top have provided a four track sampler of Top Heavy for free download via their Bandcamp page below:-

Have a listen and if you like what you hear, you can pick up a copy from Horror Pain Gore Death Productions at http://hpgd.comoj.com.

Also you can visit On Top on Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/bandontop.