Canada’s CATEGORY VI are releasing their 3rd album Firecry this week. For those who like heavy metal produced with big sounding guitars up front , solid production, powerful vocals, melodies, and songs that are lyrically and musically interesting – think Judas Priest, Saxon, Dio, and some NWOBHM influences. Best tracks include “Valkyrie”, “Heavy Is The Crown”, “The Cradle Will Fall”, and the title track . There’s also a lively version of Heart’s classic “Barracuda” to end this 9 track set, which rocks aggressively full-on from beginning to end, with only a few brief intros that let up on the gas. Aside from the band’s official videos (below), also check out the band’s track by track promo videos, hosted by singer Amanda Jackman. Cool cover art by Ivan Radnic
*For more info, check out the press release, bio, and links below!
“Firecry” is their third album and most accomplished release to date “Firecry”. From the initial flickering flame of “Firecry” to the final cinders of the absolutely combustible cover of HEART’s classic “Barracuda”, CATEGORY VI delivers true and classic 80’s heavy metal with utter perfection. “Firecry” boasts a crisp, clear, and scorching modern production that does not distract from the band’s true 80’s metal sound.
Lyrically crafted around themes of personal pride and triumph (Valkyrie, Heavy is the Crown), witchcraft persecution (Firecry), women’s strength (She Runs With Wolves) & their excellent live performances (Coven), these concepts are boldly and powerfully delivered by the soaring vocal excellence of Amanda Jackman. Bolstered and fueled by the powerful stainless steel riffs and catchy melodies of guitarist Geoff Waye, the pounding anvil bass of Keith Jackman, and the thunderous steadfast drumming of Brian Downton, CATEGORY VI brings classy and classic 1980s power – Traditional Heavy Metal into the 21st century with blazing glory.
To close out one of the best heavy metal albums of the decade, CATEGORY VI delivers an immaculate true metal, yet the radio-friendly cover of the chart-topping Heart classic “Barracuda”. With “Firecry”, CATEGORY VI unleashes a global scale climate-changing metal cyclone that just may melt the North American frozen tundra with its blazing power metal.
Track Listing:
1. Firecry
2. Valkyrie
3. The Vultures Never Came
4. She Runs With Wolves
5. Heavy is the Crown
6. Coven
7. The Cradle Will Fall
8. Burning Bridges
9. Barracuda (Heart)
Band Line Up (album):
Amanda Marie Jackman: vocals
Geoff Waye: guitar
Keith Jackman: bass
Brian Downton: Additional drums
Jason Williams: session drums
Band Bio:
Hailing from the misty shores of the northeast Avalon, Category VI formed in early 2010. The band brings something new to the local Newfoundland metal scene as they are the only female-fronted melodic metal band in the province! Category VI has performed live in St. John’s actively since 2010 with other local hard rock and metal bands as well as with touring bands Including NAIL and ANVIL and to date has released two full-length albums.
The band self-released their first full album “Fireborn“ in January 2014. The album received plenty of praise and great reviews on both the local and international levels. Two music videos (“Reborn“ and “Silence befalls the crowd“) were produced for the album. “Silence befalls the crowd“ has been released 4/28/2017 on the DVD “Kill For Metal Vol. I“, a compilation of videos of label-mates on the KILLER METAL RECORDS label. The band has performed regularly for over 7 years at many venues.
Not long after the release of “Fireborn“, CATEGORY VI signed to Killer Metal Records. The band spent most of 2015 writing and perfecting material for their second album “War is Hell”. Recordings for the album took place throughout 2016 and wrapped up in June 2016 at Redhouse Recording in St. John’s, NL. Album mixing was done in the summer/fall of 2016 and mastering was completed in early January 2017 by Lacquer Channel Mastering in Toronto, Ontario. “War is hell” has been released globally as of June 9, 2017. The album was nominated for hard album of the year for Music NL and was favourably reviewed by several press outlets.
The band played several shows in 2017-2018 until pausing to write the 3rd album. Then, without a permanent drummer, and with the pandemic, the band was in hibernation. The band has now emerged from the shadows with a new drummer and with the third album FIRECRY ready to be released in 2023 via Moribund Records.
Links:
http://www.moribundcult.com/product/DEAD304.html
https://www.facebook.com/CategoryVI
https://www.youtube.com/CategoryVImetal
Outsider Rock 