Prowler’s Stallions Of Steel

The German state of Saxony provides the heavy metal band Prowler. The band from Leipzig gained some attention with their 2012 self-released EP Hard Pounding Heart and now have returned poised to issue their debut full length, Stallions Of Steel. The nine tracks contained on the album (some of which also appeared on the aforementioned EP) boast “straight heavy metal, catchy song structures, twin guitar leads, simple but effective refrains: “Tradition instead of innovation is the main inspiration” of their sound.” Prowler consists of Ronny Dietrich’s vocals, Marvin Mehrlander’s bass lines, Michael Czernik’s drum beats and David Junold and Clemens Richter’s guitar prowess.

As for the album itself we begin with “Motorcycle Of Love” that starts off with the sounds of a motorcycle firing up and riding off into the sunset before the guitar riffs kick in. The catchy riffs are straight forward, simple and not over produced, definitely Prowler are influenced by the NWOBHM movement and I can’t help but bring Saxon to mind. “Freedom” follows the same formula, simple yet catchy and it’s easy to imagine Prowler setting the stage for bands like Saxon back in the early days. “Mind & Might” seems a little off the mark and serves as my least favorite. The album’s title track of “Stallions Of Steel” offers a great opening riff, again not overly complicated but easy to identify with and the song is loaded with interesting tempo changes. The album’s second longest running composition at just over six and a half minutes surfaces next in “Mexican Story”. “Out Of The Night” is probably the standout cut of Stallions Of Steel for me with just a little more “punch” over it’s predecessors. The heavy breathing and woman’s scream that lead off the excellent “Paranoia” are well placed, a track competing with “Out Of The Night” as best of the lot. “Prowler” (presumably the band’s theme song…think Iron Maiden’s “Iron Maiden”) charges along before the Iron Maiden-esque eight and a half minute opus of “A Maiden’s Funeral”.

Throughout Stallions Of Steel, the lyrics may seem a little juvenile and simple at times, but undeniably infectious. Prowler are not re-inventing the wheel here, nothing experimental or new, but dammit it’s pretty good and I’m interested to see what else they can come up with as they mature. Definitely want to see this band live, but until then here’s the official video for “Motorcycle Of Love”. New Wave Of German Heavy Metal (NWOGHM) anyone?