Toronto has become a hotbed for old school heavy metal. One of the bands leading the charge is Skull Fist and their latest album “Chasing the Dream” is their best effort to date.

With a nod to some of the all-time greats, Skull Fist combines the high-octane fury of early-80’s Judas Priest, the absurd chops of Iron Maiden and the sleaze of Motley Crüe.

Attending a Skull Fist show is a bit like stepping into a time warp. Suddenly patch-adorned denim jackets are all the rage, long voluminous hair appears on every head (and the guys use more product than the girls) and bullet-belts aren’t too hard to find.

Rather than rehashing old heavy metal cliches, Skull Fist takes things to the next level. The songs themselves are played considerably faster, the guitar solos more intricate and the double kick more prominent. Album closer “Mean Street Rider” is performed at breakneck speed which is fitting because the track actually contains a sample of frontman Jackie Slaughter falling off his skateboard and breaking his neck. (don’t worry, he’s fine now)

“Chasing the Dream” is yet another addition to a booming selection of excellent Toronto-based heavy metal records.