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More Bandcamp Friday treasures, this one courtesy of Sweden’s Mace ‘n’ Chain and their demo Upon the Anvil Formed. Epic metal of the galloping riffs, thunderously rolling bass and "sword and shield" lyrics is what this band is offering on the two original tracks "Upon the Anvil Formed" and "Labyrinthine Black." The vocals are clear and strong, but the vocal lines are limited, giving the singer a bit of a monotone quality that doesn’t hinder the music too much. He lets loose with a couple of David DeFeis-like screams which work especially well on "Labyrinthine Black," enhancing the atmosphere with a bit of spine-tingling excitement. The rest of the performances stampede out of the speakers to run roughshod over your eardrums. It may seem a bit odd for an epic metal band like Mace ‘n’ Chain to cover a thrash song, Kreator’s "Pleasure to Kill," for their demo, though lyrically it fits the vibe well enough. The band does a good job of turning this into an epic metal tune even when the singer emulates the harshness of Mille Petrozza’s vocals, so kudos for making the song their own. Mace ‘n’ Chain is another new band jumping on the traditional/epic/speed/etc. revival wagon and comporting themselves quite well. It is a band to watch.