M.A.D. - which, for the uninitiated, stands for Maniacal Area Damage (?) display their metal on For Crown And Ring - their 'tricky' second album. In more ways than one.

With the album artwork and lyrical imagery centred on knights, swords and chain mail, the German 4 piece hard rock outfit based in Ingolstadt, Bayern Germany, serve up a piping hot platter of rock that falls neatly between AC/DC rock 'n' roll, and NWOBHM.

The opening number Don't Sell Your Soul has Brian Johnson and chums stamped all over it, and elsewhere front man Jochen S Bach moves seamlessly into Biff Byford territory.

Throw in a Vincent Price style talk-over, plenty of hot licks and more lyrics about swords, shields, warriors and battle cries and you've got a got an album that could well appeal to Saxon fans. That is, where the band aren't aping AC/DC (A Long Hard Road, and Bad Boy Boogie)

OK, it may not be particularly original formula - and the cover of Nutbush City Limits (sounding like AC/DC meets the Quo, complete with extended sax solos) is perhaps a strange inclusion. But as a 'fun time' piece of rock it ticks most of the boxes.

And to show they're not a two trick pony, - M.A.D. close the album with an excellent slow bluesy ballad - Let the Days Go By - which shows a completely different side to the band's character.

***

Review by Pete Whalley