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THE THREE TREMORS
Guardians of The Void
2021 Steel Cartel

THE THREE TREMORS is the band fronted by renowned power metal vocalists Tim Ripper Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, KK’s PRIEST), Sean Peck (CAGE, DEATH DEALER), and Harry Conklin (JAG PANZER). Once again, the trio is backed by San Diego’s metal force, CAGE: Dave Garcia (guitar), Casey Trask (guitar), Rafael Nogueira (bass) and Sean Elg (drums). Guardians of The Void certainly does not find THE THREE TREMORS suffering from the sophomore slump. In fact, the album bests the self-titled debut album in several ways: The songs are more focused, the music is stronger, the production crisper, and the whole team just works better than ever before. The songs on GOTV run the spectrum from fantasy, science fiction and horror, to history, mystery and the military.

Full throttle album opener “Bone Breaker” (video on KNAC.COM HERE) breaks the ice in speed metal style. The lead screams and backing vocals from the TREMORS are strong, and the whole band lets you know that they are back. Title track, “Guardians of The Void” is aggressive for its 3:15 entirety; check out the overlapping vocals driven mainly by Tim, with Sean and Harry adding occasional lead and backing vocals. Shredding riffs and leads from Dave and Casey are all over the place, and Sean Elg lays down the double bass drums. Sean Peck’s lyrics are very strong on Guardians of the Void and “Kryptonian Steel” are his first lyrics regarding a DC character. As you would imagine, the song tells the origin story of Superman. The give and take vocals during the chorus is a highlight. “Crucifier” (lyric video on KNAC.COM HERE) is a strong mid-tempo song, and describes a character not to be crossed under any circumstances. Dave wrote the music and solo for this track. “I Can’t Be Stopped” is a speed metal anthem for another dark character from the depths of hell. Don’t stand in his way! “Frailty” is an exceptional song based on the Bill Paxton movie of the same name. I’m a fan of the movie, and this song pays a nice tribute. “Operation: Neptune Spear” focuses on the Navy Seal raid to kill Osama bin Laden in May 2011. This is one of the stronger songs on GOTV for sure. Nautical hymn “Chained To The Oar” starts with a wardrum, and builds to a melodic war chant, while imagining life through a Viking’s eyes. “Catastrophe” tells of a Godzilla-like monster wreaking havoc on Tokyo and the world. “Wickedness And Sin” is a twisting and turning adventure in which a chilling folk horror tale is put to music, complete with human sacrifice! The final tracks feature Sean delivering two history lessons: “The Fall of Rome” recounts the collapse of one of the greatest empires of the ancient world. This epic track really delivers the details, and is probably my favorite song on the album. Album closer, “War of Nations” is a harrowing account of the Battle of The Bulge, which took place in December 1944 between the Allies and Germany. This song drives the battle home with full power and closes the album with real strength.

This album is compelling from beginning to end. I can listen to all 12 tracks, and find something new each time I hear them. All three TREMORS are in top form here, adding their distinctive melody to each song. Dave, Casey, Rafael and Sean E. have all raised their game as well; the music on GOTV is exceptional. The front and back cover artwork by Marc Sasso is first-rate as well. GOTV is my favorite album of the year. Fans of power metal and good music will certainly find a lot to love on this album. Only three songs were released to streaming services, so the only way to hear this entire masterpiece is to order it from the band’s website. There are numerous options available, including: Digipak, colored and variant cover double vinyl. To order, go to: www.thethreetremors.com.

5.0 Out Of 5.0