The glory of heavy metal in the late ’70s and throughout the ’80s casts a large shadow on the genre today, making it difficult for groups to rise to the occasion. Allston’s Worshipper pays tribute to the grandeur of the past while also shining brightly enough to kill the shadows. In Worshipper’s latest record Light in the Wire, the band brings the goods: yes, there are screaming electric guitars, agile drum fills, and soaring vocals but there are also bright synthesizer flourishes and gentle acoustic guitar overtures. The acoustic strings and synthesizers are in full display in the album’s title track; they shine brightly among the power chords, passionate vocals, and steadfast rhythms, they summon the great power-ballads of the past for a modern audience. Worshipper will be playing at ONCE in Somerville on June 21st, bringing the old and the new aspects of metal to light. "Light in the Wire" is streaming below. – Rene Cobar
