Canadian power trio Sandstorm originally released six track album last year under their own steam, on CD and Tape, but are moving into the exciting world of vinyl this year under the aegis of the Dying Victims Productions Imprint.

They’ve added and taken away nothing from the previous release, so there’s no need to get hot under the collar if you already own the album.

For the rest of you, this is pretty much a no-go if you consider yourself a modernist! Sandstorm are happy to remember the glory of metal in days passed; there ain’t a single thing on this short-but-sweet platter that sounds like it was written after 1984, and although I know plenty of folks who like it that way, there’s just as many that will be turned off by it’s retroactive ‘charms’.

In the most part, but especially on the plodding metal of Witchman, Sorcerer of Satan, Sandstorm sound like they wish they were born in the UK… There are plenty of great cues they could have taken from three pieces from their own land, of course – Rush, Anvil, Triumph for starters – but instead the go for an unreconstructed take on Angel Witch, or at least Angel Witch’s Kevin Heybourne in tandem with Grim Reaper screacher Steve Grimmett. That’s a take-it-or-leave-it combo for many, I know, but the delivery of these boys – PJ ‘The Butcher’ Le Griffe on drums, guitar-player/vocalist Stevie ‘Broke’ Whiteless and bassist/lead singer Reptile Anderson – is so earnest that you can’t help but raise a glass to their efforts.

They save the best til last with closing track Lucia, Warrior of Light, if only because it’s the track that seems to have more of the band’s own identity in it, but in reality there ain’t a whole lot to choose between any of the solidly constructed tracks served up. This won’t surprise anyone, but it will please quite a few!

Time To Strike is out on April 24th.