Band: Traveler
Album: Termination Shock
Label: Gates Of Hell Records
Genre: NWOTHM
After Traveler's excellent debut release in 2019, I never expected them to do a follow up so soon. I also did not expect the follow up to be of such a high quality that many have already come to find with Termination Shock. Traveler's career has taken off in an expeditious fashion, with one demo and their debut self-titled release under their belts with less than a year apart. Termination Shock released a little over a year after the debut, so let's take a look at it.
Let's get one thing out of the way first, I have a small love affair with traditional metal such as this. Alright, the disclaimer is now done.
Traveler certainly takes their inspiration from the NWOTHM movement, and with the high speed playing they use on most tracks they've given us a record full of headbangers. Opener "Shaded Mirror" sees a return to their formula from the first record, with guitarists Ries and Schadlich taking front and center stage with their blistering shredding and vocalist Abboud belting out that classic style through it all. Arnold wielding the bass and Vallier on the skins rounds out this quintet's line-up in excellent fashion.
Title track "Termination Shock" is a rip-roaring rager that makes you just want to sing along to it. Plus, that riff? Christ, I can't get enough of it. When Abboud hits that upper register throughout the song it's enough to make the hairs on your arm stand at attention. Around the middle of the track we get smacked with a turbo-charged guitar solo.
Track three, "Foreverman," is a call to arms claiming that "rock n roll never dies!" With the band playing in marvelous fashion and Abboud's singing on top of it, I'm inclined to believe that rock n roll has not, and will not die. The song slows down at the 2 minute mark with great effect, building up to yet another great solo that'll get you banging your head whether you want to or not.
"Diary Of A Maiden" starts off with a roll of thunder, quickly followed by the most interesting riff on the record. It's variance like this track that make this record a worthy follow-up to their debut. "STK" sees another different sort of riff starting off, but the pace is back to that same charging-onward feel we'd gotten from the other tracks. Ries and Schadlich give us more of their dueling solos that we've come to expect from the other tracks, and Abboud keeps up his towering presence.
Track six, "After The Future," takes that thunderous pace back with a ponderous bass line from Arnold and Abboud crooning over top. The guitars take the backseat for about two minutes, and then quickly erupt as if they couldn't manage to stay bottled up. It's almost a shame - I was quite enjoying hearing the bass more upfront.
"Deepspace" is another straight headbanger, with a story of space travel and fiery solos to get you moving. Closing track, "Terra Exodus," is a true fist pumper. The track has some excellent cries from Abboud ("I don't like THE WAY), and first-rate playing from the band as a whole. Listen to the track below.
It seems as though Traveler truly has their formula figured out. Their blend of the classic heavy metal mixed with speed is infectious, and I find myself enjoying it more with each listen.
That is why I'm giving Terminator Shock a perfect 10/10