Zepter Zepter CD (Slipcase, 2026, High Roller Records)

Zepter is the self-titled debut album from the Austrian heavy metal band Zepter, released in 2026 through High Roller Records. Formed in 2024, Zepter draw heavily on the classic traditions of NWOBHM, 1970s hard rock, traditional heavy metal and early speed metal, combining driving riffs, catchy hooks and melodic twin-guitar harmonies with an unmistakable old-school metal character, making them a shining light in the New Wave Of Traditional Heavy Metal NWOTHM movement.

Based in Austria, Zepter formed in January 2024 when four musicians with backgrounds in different bands came together to create a project centred on classic heavy metal. Their first release was the limited Inferno EP, originally issued on cassette in 2024 by Ironbound in an edition of just 100 copies, followed by vinyl and CD editions from Fucking Kill Records and Witches Brew.

The self-titled Zepter album develops that traditional metal foundation into a full-length collection of energetic and melodic songs. The band's sound is rooted in the classic heavy metal vocabulary of the late 1970s and early 1980s, particularly the combination of memorable riffs, melodic guitar harmonies and hard-driving rhythms associated with bands such as Thin Lizzy, UFO, early Iron Maiden, Saxon, Raven and other pioneers of traditional and British heavy metal.

NWOBHM is particularly important to Zepter's musical identity, with influences including early Iron Maiden from the Soundhouse Tapes through Killers era, Saxon, Witchfinder General, Dark Star, Raven, Saracen, Angel Witch, Satan, Trespass and Tygers of Pan Tang. The album also incorporates elements of early speed metal, giving the faster material additional urgency without losing its traditional heavy metal foundation.

Tracks including Slasher on the Highway, The Slayer, The Exterminator and Dark Angels showcase different aspects of Zepter's approach, from fast and aggressive riffing through to melodic twin-lead guitar work and more hard-rocking passages. The album contains eight tracks and approximately 34 minutes of music, with all songs newly written for the release except for the band's cover of Lonely Night by Screem.

Zepter's self-titled debut is a contemporary release with a distinctly classic heavy metal identity. For collectors and listeners interested in new traditional heavy metal, NWOBHM-inspired bands, melodic twin guitars, early speed metal and the modern resurgence of classic metal, this High Roller Records CD offers an authentic connection between the sound of the late 1970s and early 1980s and a new generation of European heavy metal.
 

Recommended if you like: Thin Lizzy, UFO, Satan, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Raven, Angel Witch, Venator, Amethyst, Century, Enforcer, Ambush and other New Wave Of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM) bands.
 

Artist: Zepter 
Title: Zepter 
Label: High Roller Records
Catalogue Number: HRR1049CD
UPC: 4251267723423
Release Year: 2026
Duration: Album
Format: CD 
Packaging Type: Slipcase
Condition: New & factory sealed

Tracklist:

1. Slasher On The Highway
2. Everlasting
3. The Slayer
4. Hit The Streets
5. The Exterminator
6. Dark Angels
7. Lonely Night
8. The Lords