• Ottawa's veterans finally realize their dream - A review of Shock's "Once Denied"

    Shock - Once Denied (2013)

    Shock was one of Ottawa's hardest working and most promising heavy metal bands in the late eighties that opened for international top acts such as Anthrax, Megadeth and Motörhead but the band never got the breakthrough it would have deserved and wasn't even able to record a proper studio album. The group got frustrated and called it quits in the early nineties but just like many old bands that didn't make it big back then, Shock reunited with a new line-up and finally realized one of its dearest dreams. The band finally released its first full length album called Once Denied. Without the fierce teenage ambitions that ultimately destroyed the band, Shock has now found its vocation in playing traditional heavy metal. The band might open for less famous bands such as Annihilator and Blaze Bayley nowadays but the revamped quartet performs with genuine passion. This new light-hearted approach without any big pressure on their shoulders has even led to the release of a second studio album.

    Once Denied features eight songs Shock had already written and in many cases recorded on multiple occasions on its six different demo releases during its early years. The songs are performed with energy and passion but they also show the reason why the band maybe didn't get its breakthrough back then. While the songs are great, Shock fails to add its own touch to the fierce heavy metal soundscapes. The eight tracks have a vivid flow and sound perfectly coherent but there aren't many memorable, outstanding or surprising passages in their songs. Shock is simply stated another traditional heavy metal band with occasional thrash metal influences. They don't play in the same league as other Canadian acts such as Annihilator, Anvil or Exciter despite a similar sound. Expect motivated melodic lead vocals, mid- to fast-paced thrashing tiffs, an occasional melodic guitar solo here and there and a steady rhythm section that delivers a solid job without really standing out. The best song on here is probably the album closer ''Splitting the Atom'' because it includes a few calmer and more melodic breaks that make this track more imaginative than the rest.

    Old school heavy metal maniacs and local fans from the Ottawa era will dig Once Denied and should definitely support this revamped band that hasn't lost any of its energy, passion and will after all those years. For anyone else, chances are that you are familiar with a similar local heavy metal band that didn't make the cut in the glorious eighties but still continues to do what it does best. Show your respect to these honest veterans and support your local metal community. Shock's Once Denied isn't particularly outstanding but it's genuinely entertaining and good for what it is.

    Final rating: 65%

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