ROSS THE BOSS – By Blood Sworn [Digipak +3] (2018)

ROSS THE BOSS Friedman left a huge mark on the scene as co-founder and songwriter of Manowar in the 80s. Between 1982 and 1988, the band released one classic album after another and became the epitome of epic heavy metal.
In 1989, Ross left the band and indulged in other projects, in 2008 the cult guitarist launched his solo band under the banner Ross The Boss – again clearly geared towards traditional heavy metal. The debut New Metal Leader was succeeded two years later by Hailstorm.

But now the time has come: Ross The Boss is back with a new album “By Blood Sworn“.
With a new band consisting of vocalist Marc Lopes, Mike LePond (Symphony X), drummer Lance Barnewold, and Ross on guitar, Ross The Boss played a set of early Manowar classics on their Discipline Of Steel tour recently.
But now it’s finally time for an album: “By Blood Sworn” alongside new material, includes three re-recorded Manowar classics on this digipak version.

Which was scary for some moms in the ’80s, now it’s fun if you listen to it in perspective.
The opening title track attempts to a over-the-top metal aesthetic with wailing vocals and a “drink wine from my enemy’s femur” theme. It almost makes you laugh, but c’mon, it’s fun.
Ross also goes for a more classic hard rock sound on some cuts, such as number 2 “Among the Bones” that sounds like a mashup of Germanic 80s metal and party cock rock. The lyrics are pure hair metal, but the guitars have more punch and force.
Also “We Are the Night” sound and feels like Alice Cooper, and there’s a ‘metal’ ballad in “Faith of the Fallen”.

“Play Amongst the Godz” mix bluesy hard rock with metal, and we are back to warrior mode for the faux-epicness of “This is Vengeance,” which is fast and furious. Perhaps the only real ‘metal’ and Manowar-like song here is “Fistful of Hate”, which ends the regular release.
The bonus tracks are re-recordings of Manowar songs, being the best “Each Dawn I Die” and the epic “Hail And Kill”.

“By Blood Sworn” is not a Manowar rehash. Ross The Boss opted for a mix of classic hard rockers and ‘epic metal’ ’80s stuff. Musically the album suffers from these two incohesive styles, although there’s good moments.
If it’s good is up to you, for me, it was a fun listen.

01 – By Blood Sworn
02 – Among the Bones
03 – This Is Vengeance
04 – We Are the Night
05 – Faith of the Fallen
06 – Devil’s Day
07 – Lilith
08 – Play Among the Godz
09 – Circle of Damnation
10 – Fistful of Hate
DIGIPAK BONUS TRACKS:
11. Each Dawn I Die (Manowar Cover)
12. The Oath (Manowar Cover)
13. Hail And Kill (Manowar Cover)

Ross the Boss – Guitars
Mike LePond – Bass
Marc Lopes – Vocals
Steve Bolognese – Drums

PRE ORDER:
shop.afm-records.de/audio/heavy-metal/1303/ross-the-boss-by-blood-sworn-ltd.-digipak
.