SHOCKER! PROSTHETIC RECORDS SIGNS YET ANOTHER AWESOME BAND: HOLY GRAIL

If I were a betting man and I wagered on the chances of any given band signed to any metal label in 2009 actually being good, I’d definitely put my money down on Prosthetic or Sumerian Records. Both labels are completely killing right now. Where Sumerian certainly wins in “scene points” and innovation stylistically speaking, Prosthetic takes a decidedly more varied but no less awesome route; all bands on Prosthetic sound completely different from one another (hello Kylesa, Gojira, Animals as Leaders, Grief of War, etc etc etc ad infinitum) but they’re all superb. Furthermore, their bands have little if anything to do with what’s hot in today’s metal scene — they just are what they are, and they’re damn good at it.

Take Holy Grail, the latest addition to the Prosthetic Roster. Holy Grail take their influences from Maiden, Priest, Dio, Scorpions and the like, not quite your definition of “scene.” The only band I’d really liken them to are L.A.’s White Wizzard (about whom we’ve written on these here pages before); not so odd, then, that Holy Grail are actually comprised of three former White Wizzard members! Holy Grail bring the goods old-school style without sounding like a complete copy (hello Re-Thrash!). If you’re looking for chugs, breakdowns, Swedish guitar leads or screams then move right along, ’cause you won’t find any here.

This is all based on listening to three songs on Holy Grail’s MySpace, of course. Shit, the band hasn’t even played their first show yet; L.A.-based MS Maniacs can catch ’em at the famous Whisky on July 30th. Their debut EP Improper Burial is due some time this fall; presumably we’ll be hearing more about it as the date draws closer, as will you.

-VN