Review RIOT CITY ‘Electric Elite’

I ended the review for the debut ‘Burn the City’ with “Riot City, an unstoppable force.” and it is exactly the conclusion after having listened to the sophomore album ‘Electric Elite’.

It was the debut album ‘Burn the Night’ that caused a stir in underground metal worlds. The guys from Alberta, Canada managed to release with their debut from 2019 a record that reflects traditional metal including the spirit of the 80s and at the same time sounds modern.

That the first record was not just a flash in the pan is what the guys are proving these days with their sophomore album ‘Electric Elite’. In contrast to the debut, Cale Savy focuses on guitar only and leaves the microphone to Jordan Jacobs. This was a smart move, as Savy can focus on the guitar duels with Roldan Reimer and in addition Jacobs is a true metal siren. With his high-pitch screams he reminds of the greats of heavy metal without copying anyone in particular.

Judas Priest and Iron Maiden are certainly bands that have influenced the two guitarists; songs like the very successful ‘Beyond the Stars’ remind here and there of the old metal icons.

‘Electric Elite’ features eight songs and each one is a direct hit. To be mentioned in this context is the ingenious ‘Ghost of Reality’, an atmospheric starting hymn that slowly gains momentum and belongs to the best metal songs of the past months. Everything just fits together perfectly in this song.

With ‘Lucky Diamond’ the guys from Canada also have a very straightforward blast on the album in which again awesome guitar melodies are in the foreground. With ‘Severed Ties’ the grande finale approaches. Riot City have placed with this 9-minute epic a masterpiece at the end of the disc. It is the strong songwriting skills of the band that are reflected in this song. The calm and balladic beginning also shows the genius of singer Jordan Jacobs who can use the full range of his voice. Somehow I feel reminded of bands like Heir Apparent when listening to this song, as the joy of playing and the passion for heavy metal are combined in an inspired way.

If you missed the debut of the band, you should definitely listen to ‘Electric Elite’ now. Riot City are certainly one of the hottest newcomers of the last two years and you can not resist the fascination of the album. Here, metal is inhaled with every breath.