(Massacre)

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Well, we've had numerous tribute albums in recent years, but this one deserves a special mention. The German metal trio has recorded a 16-track tribute to the Golden Age of kick-ass metal and thus to a bunch of bands that seem to be selected at pure random and have also slightly slipped into obscurity. You come across Manowar's "Kill With Power,” Lizzy Borden's "Red Rum" as well as Stryper's "Soldiers Under Command,” Is it all coming back to you? If not, Bleed For The Gods teaches you a good lesson in what real metal is all about, without stylish and fashionable additives, and it truly deserves the title Metal-Lesson I. Powergod don't give a fuck about what's popular with the kids, they just stick to it and rock.

The tracks on this album (their third on Massacre, by the way) is a cross-section of what true metal really is, so you get cover versions of "Metal Church" alongside with "Madhouse" (Anthrax) and, of course, the patron saint of the album, Agent Steel's "Bleed For The Godz,” Powergod's versions of these classic hymns all have a rough sound and more fuel than the originals. Their interpretation of "XXX" by Nasty Savage should be singled out here. I'm also very impressed with their version of Yngwie's "I Am A Viking,” The guitar playing is (nearly) as good as the ol' Grand Master himself. A definite highlight is Powergod's cover of "Burning The Witches" (Warlock, remember?), which features metal queen and ex-Warlock frontwoman Doro along with Powergod singer President Evil on vocals.

Bleed For The Gods. That's Metal-Lesson I is a good tribute album to the Golden Age of Metal. Yet it's a compilation of cover versions and that's okay as a sort of filler noise between two studio albums, so a new album with original material in the near future should be expected.

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