This is Suzuki`s solo project – this guy is known to have been playing in Tiger Junkies and Abigail as well. Here, this Japanese dude attempts to create some blend of thrash, punk with some black metal influences. The outcome is ok, generally speaking, yet this stuff, Straight Metal War is far from perfect.

Ok, let’s start from the very beginning, ok? The strongest point of this material are the album`s songs themselves – pretty similar to Toxic Holocaust, I reckon – doesn’t surprise no one as a member of Tiger Junkies, Suzuki cooperates with Joel Grind as well. Also, some influences from English Dogs` debut album are hearable here. However, this music is not as aggressive as the bands mentioned above,but whatBarbatoslacks in aggressiveness, it makes up in songs` catchy riffs and seriously good solos; they are performed in the heavy metal vein (just listen to Heavy Metal Forces 3! Damn, this track is good). Well,these tracks, as said, are album`s strongest points.

Ok, the sound is terribly weak – it is old-school, all right, but damn dull and doesn’t make this album strong enough. Another weak point is Yasuyuki`s vocal. Tiresome in the long run, yes. These two elements just spoil this music which has been really writtenwell.