Saracen

ELIMINATOR/ PURPLE HILL WITCH

BOSTON ARMS, LONDON

Not the obvious choice of opener for a night of 80s heavy metal, but Norwegian doom rockers PURPLE HILL WITCH’S [6] Pagan Altarmeets-Witchcraft heavy rocking riffage is catchy and heavy enough to cross over to non-doom fans as well. ELIMINATOR [7] have been on the metallic fringes for a few years; they’ve taken their sweet time but after a run of vocalists it looks like things have fallen into place. New singer Danny Foster has a phenomenal set of pipes and tonight suggests that their debut full-length may be something very special. Few singers can claim to be world class, even fewer after four decades. SARACEN’S [8] Steve Bettney can. The NWOBHM veterans ply a melodic strain of metal with a prog tint that is a joy to behold. Eighties classics like Meet Me At Midnight and Heroes, Saints And Fools sound simply astonishing. Newer material holds its own, too, and the only question is: why are you not here?