Origin:	Queens, NY, USA
Genres:	Power Metal

Ross The Boss

Guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman has had a lengthy and successful career in rock and metal, some of it well known (a founding member of both The Dictators and, of course, Manowar) and some of it less so (Shakin' Street, and an interesting turn in Albert Bouchard's Brain Surgeons). Now he's got his own band, apparently coming together when he joined forces with a Manowar tribute band called Men Of War. Given this, it's unavoidable to compare the first album from this project, New Metal Leader, to prime Manowar, and often it's an apt comparison (the intros to both "God Of Dying" and "Immortal Son" are almost plagiaristic) -- certainly songs like "I Got The Right" would fit right in the New York boys' catalog. But it's not all Manowar stuff, as some songs are just more in the traditional Euro metal vein, and then there's the odd throwaway pop-metal of "May The Gods Be With You" to provide some variety (though it's far and away the weakest song on the album). Vocalist Patrick Fuchs is no Eric Adams, his voice is less clear and he doesn't have the range that Adams did in his prime, but he does well enough. Obviously, Manowar fans will eat this up, but being as these guys are a bit less over-the-top, they might also appeal to other fans of Euro-styled classic metal.