Looking for some high quality melodic metal but getting frustrated sifting through all the garbage out there? Well, look no further! USM is made up of Tony Ritchie, Lionel Hicks, and Pete Southern of Balance of Power, and like BOP, this band is tighter than your grandma's girdle, with hooks-a-plenty. Unlike BOP, however, USM takes a more modern metal approach, but don't let this scare you off. This is some excellent material that has me drooling all over, even after multiple days of listening. These tunes have a little bit more bite than BOP has, but like Lance King, Ritchie's voice is downright addicting. You'll be singing these huge choruses days after putting the disc in its case. The musicianship by these three men is top-notch, especially Southern's guitar work, which includes many jaw-dropping solos.
Editors' ratings - Doug 4/5, Jason 3/5
