Metal Underground.com

Viking Skull's "Heavy Metal Thunder" is proof that a great groove can overcome unoriginal songwriting and subpar singing. Even as I was tempted to start tearing this album apart for its near-complete lack of originality, I still found myself tapping my toes and appreciating the band's hard-partying vibe.

"Heavy Metal Thunder" combines material from Viking Skull's first EP, "Chapter One" and full-length album, "Born in Hell," which were previously unavailable in the United States, plus five bonus tracks. Basically, what you really need to know about this band is that it worships at the altar of 1970s metal, with Lemmy-like frontman Roddy Stone delivering the lyrics in a gravel-throated growl. The current lineup includes Dom Wallace and Frank Regan on guitar, Jess Margera on drums and Kevin Waldie on bass, but there were plenty of other members that made contributions to the songs on this disc.

Initially, "Heavy Metal Thunder" has a real doom metal vibe to it, with plenty of Sabbath-style riffing. For example, the opener, "Beers, Drugs and Bitches" essentially cribs part of the famous "Iron Man" riff for a slow section played a la "Hand Of Doom." "Wizard's Sleeve" and "Skull Heaven" both borrow heavily from Sabbath's "Children Of The Grave," as does "Crank the Volume" to a lesser degree. Later tracks like "Double or Quits" and "Baby Let Me Know" have an AC/DC boogie style, with super-simple guitar riffs that, nevertheless, get the job done.

As great as the grooves on tracks like the southern-fried "Skulls & Whiskey" are, there's still the matter of Stone's vocals to deal with. If you're going to growl like Lemmy, at least vary the volume or something. Certainly, tracks like "Crazy Trucker" benefit from a full-on shout, but on some other tracks, the vocals get to be a bit much.

No, from its title on down, "Heavy Metal Thunder" isn't even remotely the most original album you'll hear this year. Still, I've got to admire Viking Skull's dedication to the groove. This is definitely an album best appreciated in a crowded bar after a beer or two.