Band Website
  Company Website
  Maximum Metal Rating Legend
5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
2.5-2 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors.
1.5-1 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
0 Terrible - Waste of your life and time.

Note: Reviews are graded from 0-5, anything higher or not showing is from our old style. Scores, however, do not reveal the important features. The written review that accompanies the ratings is the best source of information regarding the music on our site. Reviewing is opinionated, not a qualitative science, so scores are personal to the reviewer and could reflect anything from being technically brilliant to gloriously cheesy fun.

Demos and independent releases get some slack since the bands are often spent broke supporting themselves and trying to improve. Major releases usually have big financial backing, so they may be judged by a heavier hand. All scores can be eventually adjusted up or down by comparison of subsequent releases by the same band. We attempt to keep biases out of reviews and be advocates of the consumer without the undo influence of any band, label, management, promoter, etc.

The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.
Band
Gun Barrel
Title
Battle Tested
Type
LP/EP
Company
Limb Music
YOR
2003
Style
Power
Popular Reviews
4/2/2003 - Review by: Eric Compton
Gun Barrel - Battle Tested - reviewed by: EC

Track Listing
1. Battle-Tested
2. We Believe In Nothing
3. My Last Ale
4. Roll Of The Dice
5. Rebel Tune
6. Lonely Rider
7. Party In The Hall Of Fame
8. Lover Like A Gun
9. Scream Of The Killer
10. Raven, The
11. Save My Heart From You
12. Death Knell Dance
Battle Tested marks this German metal band's second album, a follow-up to last year's Powerdrive record.
This new release is slightly in that same vein, however a bit more "power metal" oriented. Battle Tested comes at you full throttle, with the title track opening with sounds of battle, before breaking into vintage early Running Wild.

The vocals are very Manowarish, with plenty of "heart of steel" lyrics throughout. Gun Barrel have borrowed a bit of humor from the Tankard camp however, adding a few spoof songs like My Last Ale, Party In The Hall Of Fame, and the funny titled, Lover Like A Gun (Get it?). But this record does have some noteworthy hard rocking German metal ala Roll Of The Dice, which is straight outta the Accept encyclopedia, while Rebel Tune has a slight Grave Digger influence.

This is fairly decent German fare, not offering anything spectacular, but fun nonetheless. The record has a real "outlaw-biker" type touch to it, and sounds tough when it wants to be Think Tankard meets X-Wild in a drunken rage, with Manowar thrown in to keep the peace. Good production and an awesome album cover.

--Reviewed by EC 4.02.03
  • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
    N/A :AVE RATING

ALL REVIEWS FOR: GUN BARREL
TITLE
DOR
COMPANY
 REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
Battle Tested
2003
Limb Music
Eric Compton4/2/2003
-

ALL INTERVIEWS FOR: GUN BARREL
INTERVIEW INTERVIEWER DATE TAGLINE


<< back >>
© Maximum Metal 2003-2022. All Rights Reserved. Metal Never Dies