STREET FIGHTER – Second Hand Hero (2023)

Let’s do a time travel experiment: we send back in time some of today’s music production possibilities and we check what a Heavy Metal band from 1986 can come out with, and we call it STREET FIGHTER. A pack of urban outcasts has been recruited: the ugly city alleys are about to get uglier via denim & leather melodic metal.
At the helm of this project that will release the album titled “Second Hand Hero” is Marco Angioni (Meridian, Withering Surface), producer and multi-instrumentalist who recorded most of the instruments: lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards, bass, and drums. On vocals: Stefan Jensen (Exelerate) and Sofia Schmidt (Ethereal Kingdoms).
We find some Apecial guests as well: Rasmus Bom Andersen (Diamond Head), Soren Andersen (Electric Guitars), Michael Catton (Tainted Lady), Chris Catton (Boys From Heaven) Lars Märker (Meridian), Michael Bastholm (Artillery), Michael Hvolgaard Andersen (Withering Surface, Thorium), Martin J. Andersen (Blindstone), and Klaus Agerbo and Peter Bruun (Meridian).

The premise of the project is essentially to make a record that sounds like it was recorded in 1986, and in those narrow terms at least, it’s hard to describe ”Second Hand Hero” as anything other than a stunning success. Even the cut price feel of the album’s cover fits the brief.

Thin Lizzy-ish opener ‘The Fall of the Ash’ is a stunning piece of melodic metal, Stefan Jensen‘s John Sykesish vocals evoking those mid Eighties halcyon days with spine-tingling accuracy. And closing anthem ‘Nordic Noise’ isn’t far behind, pulling together a raft of Danish metal’s finest to guest star on a life – affirming sing-it-shout it call to arms that won’t fail to get you absent mindedly punching the air and singing along as you go about your household chores…

Jensen is joined on lead vocal duties by Sofia Schmidt (who you may remember from Ethereal Kingdoms) and the pair’s voices complement one another nicely as the band (actually mainly Angioni, who plays everything) romp through a set that overall hits a sweet spot somewhere in the middle of the first three Dio albums.

At the end of the day Street Fighter aren’t going to shake too many foundations with ”Second Hand Hero”, but that’s not really the point; sometimes well played, brilliantly sung heavy metal is enough, and that’s exactly what this excellent album provides.
Highly Recommended

1. The Fall Of The Ash
2. Deadend City
3. Black Potion
4. Queen Of The Night
5. Devil In Disguise
6. Heartbreak Ritual
7. Sister Moon
8. Nordic Noise

Marco Angioni – guitars, bass, keyboards
Anders Peter Bruun – bass
Klaus Agerbo – drums
Sofia Schmidt – vocals
Stefan Jensen – vocals

Pre order:
targetgroup.bandcamp.com/album/secondhand-hero