The axe of Heavy Metal is about to strike to the sound of the debut album by this American supergroup, a timeless, earth-shaking beast of a record and an instant classic.

An American Heavy Metal supergroup featuring former Pantera vocalist Terry Glaze, guitarist Bob Balch (Fu Manchu, Slower), bassist Fredrik Isaksson (Dark Funeral), and former Pentagram drummer Pete Campbell, Axe Dragger are unleashing upon us all metalheads, heshers and headbangers their self-titled debut album, delivering old school, 80’s-inspired heavy music in the vein of Judas Priest, Dio, Armored Saint, and Iron Maiden. Mixed by Brian Scheuble (Mötley Crüe, Whitesnake, Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails) mastered by Dave Collins (Metallica, Soundgarden), and displaying a killer artwork by Seldon Hunt, Axe Dragger is a timeless, earth-shaking beast of a record and an instant classic, adorned with a modern weight and grit.

Terry doesn’t waste any time and begin distilling his raspy, soaring vocals in Axe Dragger, and the song that carries the name of the band is indeed a metallic beast perfect for some wild headbanging. Then Fredrik and Pete rev up the band’s thunderous machine in Give You The Rope, a Judas Priest-infused tune spiced up by a striking solo by Bob, followed by Fight Another Day, a strong candidate for their live performances (if they start touring, of course), with elements of the Southern Rock and Metal by Pantera giving it a badass vibe. Iron Rider is (surprise, surprise) a song for lovers of the fast lane, as if Iron Maiden and Motley Crüe had a bastard son, with Bob taking the lead with his caustic riffage supported by Pete’s hammering drums; whereas Eat Me From The Inside is by far the most generic of all songs, falling flat after a while despite the visceral riffs by Bob.

Then back to a more ferocious mode the quartet fires Shock ‘Em Dead, with the bass lines by Fredrik punching us hard in the head while Terry keeps delivering his unparalleled vocals, and they truly thrive when they go full 80’s Heavy Metal, which is the case in El Toro, a no shenanigans, in-your-face aria showcasing another excellent performance by Terry while Pete dictates the song’s horns raising pace. The band invests in a massive Southern and Sludge Metal sonority in The Damned Will Cry, as heavy and melodic as it can be, and if you love the guitar attack by Iron Maiden and Judas Priest you’ll have a great time listening to Fire In The Madhouse, with Pete showing no mercy for his drums. Lastly, the band closes the album with an overdose of epic sounds in the form of Death Is Calling My Name, an ode to our beloved Rock N’ Roll.

“I’d been in touch with Pete Campbell for a while about trading riffs, drum beats, and ideas. I’ve also been teaching a student over FaceTime for a couple of years who wants to learn old Riot, Judas Priest, and DIO – and that really lit a fire under me to start writing an old-school heavy metal project. So Pete and I started sending riffs and beats back and forth, and once we had a few solid tunes, we brought in Terry Glaze and Fredrik Isaksson. The first song Terry sent back was Axe Dragger and Pete and I completely lost our minds. From there, we were all fired up, and over the course of a year, we put together this record. It’s a pure reflection of early ’80s heavy metal – and I hope you dig it. For the guitar geeks out there, this record is loaded with harmonic minor modes à la Powerslave-era Iron Maiden,” commented Bob Balch about the genesis of the supergroup, and if you want to know more about those talented veterans you can find them on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify, and grab your copy of their incendiary debut from Ripper Music’s Big Cartel (on CD or vinyl for US customers), webstore (for EU customers), or BandCamp (digital and physical worldwide). The axe of Heavy Metal is about to strike hard and fast with the debut by Axe Dragger, and you better get ready because those guys will take no prisoners in their quest for heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Iron Rider, El Toro and Fire In The Madhouse.

Worst moments of the album: Eat Me From The Inside.

Released in 2026 Ripple Music

Track listing
1. Axe Dragger 3:27
2. Give You The Rope 3:21
3. Fight Another Day 3:53
4. Iron Rider 3:52
5. Eat Me From The Inside 5:01
6. Shock ‘Em Dead 4:11
7. El Toro 3:06
8. The Damned Will Cry 4:22
9. Fire In The Madhouse 4:29
10. Death Is Calling My Name 4:48

Band members
Terry Glaze – vocals
Bob Balch – guitar
Fredrik Isaksson – bass
Pete Campbell – drums