Somehow I have the same kind of problems with US Speed Metal merchants AGENT STEEL nowadays as others obviously had with JUDAS PRIEST during the Ripper Owens period… Bruce Hall is without any doubt a really nice, down to earth type of guy and extremely talented vocalist. He not only manages to sing all the difficult high John Cyriis notes without any problems, but also adds his own unique note to the band’s newer material (which is actually really cool to me!). But: seeing this new line-up on stage is a different story. Hall by no means comes across as a real frontman for such an energetic Metal act, but more like a buddy-from-next-door who accidentely ended up on stage and who’s blessed with this incredible voice. All this became even more evident to me after going through the TESTAMENT DVD right before this one here. Chuck Billy is a very good example of what I consider the perfect frontman on stage and the gap between the both of them is really really big, I’m afraid! Plus, I don’t think it was the best idea to baptize this band AGENT STEEL again (the original idea ORDER OF THE ILLUMINATI would probably have been the better solution)… For some reason these guys are not really capable of getting across the same exciting vibes as the old line-up (remember that only guitarists Juan Garcia and Bernie Versailles are left from the old days), so it constantly reminds me on a cover band as opposed to the real deal… But hey, tastes are different and there’s certainly a lot of Metalheads out there who still worship this incarnation in the same way (if not more) as the original 80s line-up. Those of you should definitely make sure to get a copy of this DVD as it features the entire AGENT STEEL 2004 Dynamo Open Air performance, inluding the eternal classics ‘Unstoppable Force’, ‘Rager’, ‘Bleed For The Godz’ and ‘Agents Of Steel’, four additional European club gig recordings (‘Children Of The Sun’, ‘Mad Locust Rising’, ‘Avenger’ and ‘Earth Under Lucifer’) in a very cool picture and sound quality (filmed by Lowlife Media, who already were responsible for a shitload of other official video releases) as well as a picture gallery. For all further info check out www.agentsteelonline.com or www.scarletrecords.it