Bulletproof started out as a band in 2017, playing the underground bar scene in their native Argentina. After a while of playing bar shows Bulletproof started playing with a youth organisation called Speed Metal Army who organise metal shows for the masses over a whole range of metal styles across the country. Polish based Ossuary Records picked up the band and they now bring us their debut 5 track EP Dynamite.
The four piece consisting of Martin Debonis- bass/backing vocals, Ariel Garcia- lead guitar/backing vocals, Poli Serafini- guitar/vocals and Matias Pena- drums certainly fly the flag for heavy metal and bring us 5 tracks of classic metal in the style of bands like Running Wild, Accept, Blazon Stone, Manowar, Judas Priest and many other NWOBHM type bands but they do it with such enthusiasm that it's hard not to really dig this EP. On the first listen you could be forgiven for thinking this isn't exactly original, but by the time you've listened to it a few times you don't really mind this fact and are fully into it. Structurally it is fairly standard fare with everything you would expect from a band that just wants to rock out. Track 1 "Banners High!' is a rousing Running Wild style tribute. Track 2 is the album title track "Dynamite" which takes it up a notch becoming even more anthemic and lively complete with cow bell... very catchy and uplifting. Track 3 "Flag Of Freedom" starts off reminiscent of Black Sabbath and becomes their more traditional metal mid tempo number then they bring it back up again for my personal favourite, track 4 "Fist Pounding". A more thrashy number which also reminds me of Finnish hard rock monsters Lordi. They end with with the very Judas Priest-esque "Feel The Heat" which incorporates some fantastic riffs and has classic lyrics like "The gods of metal are with us" and "Heavy metal is calling!". It is all tremendous fun and a great show case for the band.
Bulletproof as a band seem like a really great bunch of people. They come across as incredibly enthusiastic in the interviews I have read and clearly have a huge love and passion for old school heavy metal. They are not posers and have a genuine talent for this style. Even though English is not their native language they are lyrically adept in this instance and they have a lot of fun with it.
Despite the vocals being a bit low in the mix on the first track, the rest of the recording and mastering is well done. The vocals are clear and higher up for the rest of the tracks and there is a great balance between the instruments and vocals. The guitar solos are not at all over the top and fit in really well. There is a comfortable feel and rhythm to Bulletproof as a band which I guess comes from playing together a while before releasing anything, they have a great collective balance between them. The artwork for Dynamite is bright, colourful, explosive and in keeping with the over all feel to the EP.
Dynamite is available to buy digitally through Ossuary Records bandcamp page and I recommend you check this out due to the fact that it is a lot of fun plus I believe Bulletproof are currently working on their next recording which will be a full length album and Dynamite is a great introductory piece.
