Chasing the Grail

WWE Wrestling megastar , guitarist , bassist , and drummer s fourth outing under the moniker continues to out the one-time cover band as a legitimate player in the unpredictable world of 21st century metal. What started out as a hobby/promotional vehicle for its formidable frontman has manifested itself into a streamlined juggernaut of chunky, unpretentious, old-school metal that measures melody and brutality with equal amounts of affection. Between 's tasteful, bottom-heavy riffing and 's truly impressive pipes, have crafted another solid collection that successfully bridges the gaps between , the , and . Sure, there are missteps (paint-by-numbers ballad and nu-metal throwback belong in a mid-'80s production), but songs like and serve as crushing reminders that heavy metal should conjure up images of the very element for which it's named. ~ James Christopher Monger