Ross the Boss – Legacy of Blood, Fire, Steel Review

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As usual, first things first. Differently from 2020’s “Born of Fire,” which had no Manowar reference at all, “Legacy of Blood, Fire, Steel” has many. Too many to tell the truth. The impression it gets is that Ross the Boss followed the album tittle ipsis litteris giving it lots of Manowar references as a legacy to his fantastic years with one of the most referenced bands of Metal music world. Some tracks as “I Got the Right” or “We Will Kill” – mostly the chorus – are direct references to the band. Well, it is a natural thing as he was one of the masterminds of Manowar’s music. If it weren’t for Marc Lopes’s voice which is very different from Eric Adams’s my dear child of the night could think this would be a Manowar’s album.  Of course, this isn’t a bad thing at all. I’m just comparing both albums we’ve reviewed here. Another outstanding difference is that while “Born of Fire” sounded as a whole album with all tracks connect to each in one way or another, “Legacy of Blood, Fire, Steel” sounds as an outcome of many years of demos. It seems as if Ross the Boss got his old and forgotten demos and put them all together here. In fact, that’s exactly what he did as “Legacy of Blood, Fire, Steel” is a compilation celebrating Ross the Boss’s fifteenth anniversary as a solo artist. Aha, almost got you!

Album opener “Blood of Knives,” even though its very addressed to Manowar tittle, sounds as if a continuation of previous album “Born of Fire,.” In “Legacy of Blood, Fire, Steel” my dear child of the night will find two very distinct sonancies. One half directly related to Manowar and the other half not so much. Differently from what happens to other albums where bands put together the songs that sound similar there is no order here whatsever. That’s one fact that makes “Legacy of Blood, Fire, Steel” an album that sounds as an outcome of many years of demos – in this very particular case a compilation. The other is the production, while listening to all the album in role, my dear chlid of the night will notice that “By Blood Sworn” comes with a lower volume from its previous track “Great Gods Glorious.” It’s noticeable how far they are from each other in terms of volume. By the way, it’s with “By Blood Sworn” that vocalist sounds very near Eric Adams. The song has the same features a Manowar fan would recognize with no stress as, for instance, its dry guitar closing. On the other hand, “This Is Vengeance” belongs to other half except for the bass whose lines with very close attention would sound as Joey DeMaio’s. But the guitars don’t. “We Are the Night” is a track that is totally out of both as it could be in a Dio’s album, for instance.

It seems to me that with “Legacy of Blood, Fire, Steel” Ross the Boss took its tittle so seriously and an urge to show all Manowar fans where the band’s sonancy came from poped up. It’s clear to me that he’s got it. A great appetizer for the fans who are eagerly waiting for a following Manowar album. By the way, take a close look at the album’s cover and tell what does it feel.

Ross the Boss “Legacy of Blood, Fire, Steel” was released on April 28th via AFM Records.

Track Listing:

  1. Blood of Knives
  2. I Got the Right
  3. We Will Kill
  4. Kingdom Arise
  5. Hailstorm
  6. Great Gods Glorious
  7. By Blood Sworn
  8. This Is Vengeance
  9. We Are the Night
  10. Maiden of Shadows
  11. Born of Fire
  12. Denied By the Cross

Watch “Maiden of Shadows” official music video here:

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