In the space of twenty years and numerous releases Raleigh, North Carolina-based heavy metal quintet Mega Colossus have developed a distinct sonic personae, one which has good fun with its exuberant melodies and the occasional burst of speeding riff while cracking inside jokes and pop culture references. For their fourth full-length album, ‘Showdown‘, it’d seem they’ve finally hit a point of strong consistency in stepping from album to album in the space of just a few years with plenty of refinement readied in hand. While we can take their work ethic serious enough based on the results this is a band unable to wipe the stupid grin off its face even when given serious analysis. It is just a bit of fun performed at a well above-average standard.

Mega Colossus have been around since 2004 having completed their formative years as Colossus ’til changing their name in 2016. Lead by founding vocalist Sean Buchanan‘s distinct vocals and lead guitarist Bill Fischer‘s growing finesse the original style of the band was a blend of traditional heavy metal styles they’d dubbed “adventure metal” with shades of 80’s power metal, speed metal, and popular classic rock feeding into their easygoing nerd culture referential gig. Their debut LP (‘..​.​and the Rift of the Pandimensional Under​-​Gods‘, 2008). reflected as much, a fun heavy metal band with some ‘epic’ heavy moments here and there. After a couple of EPs and several line-up changes the band would largely solidify its ranks and produce a more focused, paced-up sophomore LP (‘HyperGlaive‘, 2017) where we begin to see what I’d consider the circa 1990 side of their guitar work with a sort of ‘Rust in Peace‘ edge to their leads and increasing shades of ‘Painkiller‘ inserted into their sound which’d just as well have been compared to certain releases from Slough Feg or High Spirits.

While those first several releases were important to honing the adventurous NWOTHM exuberance of Mega Colossus‘ sound the 80’s popular rock melodies, power-thrash shred theatric side of the band seems to have been the trend of their work otherwise since the well-received ‘Riptime‘ (2021). From my point of view it’d been effective enough to call ’em a power metal band at that point, having stuck with it long enough to build up an eccentric but professional standard with a clear point of view. ‘Showdown‘ is entirely additive to said observation, a refined heavy metal record with some extra emphasis on more immediate yet long-winded melody driven songs which are all more-or-less anthemic by default. As they venture along the quay readied to board the yacht near the end of the full listen no doubt the throwback schmaltz of these folks’ work will weed out the folks who can’t hang quickly but I’d found the full listen memorable and thoughtfully arranged with a level of focus which their past albums lacked.

Though you’ll get a rise out of the anthemic soaring of (Indiana Jones themed?) opener “Fortune and Glory” and that same high standard upheld with the more narrative “Outrun Infinity” some close attention paid to these pieces at reveals more than a ‘pop culture’ referential side but a sense of humor woven within their sophisticated performances and a highest yet standard for production values from Mega Colossus. The lyrics aren’t inspired for my taste by they’ve done well to presage the early 80’s dad rock feeling within those early album arrangements. I won’t make any direct comparisons but the effect is something like “power-thrash metal Journey covers” to start as we get a memorable chorus and a lead guitar wail or two in most every case. Later Side B we’ll find “Wicked Road” has the full Yacht rocking deal in effect and for my own taste this is probably the limit, a bit too much on the side of schlock even if it is a catchy enough song. I don’t think I’d been hit by a riff that’d truly drawn blood until “Grab the Sun”, the type of power-thrasher with a hint of “Hangar 18” in its main progression that these folks have always excelled at.

The galloping heavy metal pulse and escalating choruses of the title track makes one of, if not -the- best songs on the album for my own taste. I’d just about been sold on the whole deal as this song first fired up ’til the vocalist threw a “I’m gonna fuck your wife.” into the mix. While I’d found the full listen entertaining, and I’m sure they’re referencing a movie or whatever, these sort of silly-ass blips on the radar paired with the “Any Way You Want It” lead-in on “Wicked Road” (and the bits edited into “Take to the Skies”) kept me at arms distance from committing any more serious thought to the record. It is catchy, they are having good fun, and making some pretty slick heavy metal with its own melodic sensibilities but this album isn’t communicating anything I particularly care about. No doubt not everyone will agree with that, so, I can still recommend ‘Showdown‘ as a fine example of heavy rock and power metal (among other things) feeding a band with a lot of personality.

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