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Another band travelling back in time to the first half of the '80s, Canada's Sandstorm is a band turning four this year and this is their second EP after 2019's Time to Strike. The high-pitched vocals are bound to grab any listener's attention right away as they are front and centre here. The vocal melodies are very catchy and memorable, though I found that after repeated listens, the high pitch can get a little old—probably a sign that it's time to listen to something else and get back to it later. ;)

The music is 100% old-school heavy metal, kind of a mix between some of the rough but catchy NWOBHM bands and those such as Saxon (among others) that got the means to produce something more polished. I won't call their music commercial, but they certainly have a very approachable sound. Fear not, however, as there's heaviness, solos and riffs aplenty and lots of occasions to headbang to this little sucker. I've been listening to Desert Warrior for a while and I find it hard to resist coming back to it a few times a day. This may clock in at only 21 minutes, but fans of early '80s metal will find a lot to like here.