Wizard Death
I Am the Night
(Wise Blood Records)
4/5
Wizard Death is the father/son duo of Tim and Alexander Kenefic respectively, who mix ’80s metal vocals with a modern metal/rock sound. Formed in 2023, they have a polished sound with elaborate guitar riffs and driving drum lines.
Listening to I Am the Night, I was surprised that Wizard Death have only been together for about a year; their sound is very well established for such a new band. Their guitar work reminds me of LA Guns’ Tracii Guns’ style in his side project Brides of Destruction. The influence of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden can be heard in Wizard Death’s songs, especially in the title track, which features Kayla Dixon of Witch Mountain on vocals; Dixon adds the higher octave sound found in hair metal.
While the ominous and gloomy sound of “Slay the Serpent” is cool, the repetitiveness of the lyrics, guitar riffs, and drum lines make the song drag, pulling the album away from a perfect rating.