I am standing in the middle of a recording studio in Walsall, surrounded by the five members of Black Country heavy metal band Hostile, writes Ian Harvey.

Having chatted for half an hour, they have just offered to play me a song, and the sound they produce is not just surrounding me, it’s invading me to the bones.

Guitarists AJ Mills and Matt Waddoups are riffing and soloing over the thunderous rhythms of bassist Andy Mills and drummer Gunga, but it’s when vocalist Ade Carloss begins to bellow and growl right at the side of me that the chills really run down my spine.

This is rock at its heaviest, a monumental slab of noise, and all part of  Hostile’s plan to put the Black Country, the birthplace of metal, right back at the forefront of the genre.

Drawing its members from Wednesbury, Halesowen, Kidderminster and Worcester, Hostile have one extra special weapon in their armoury in the shape of KK Downing, guitarist with Midlands heavy metal legends Judas Priest.

Having been impressed when he spotted the band playing at JB’s in Dudley, Downing has taken Hostile under his wing, not only producing their just-completed debut album, but donating a song to it, Avenger, the first time he has ever written for anyone outside Priest.

AJ says: “Words can’t say how happy we were that this metal god’s written us a song and he wanted us to perform it.”

The album itself is called Eve Of Destruction. Andy explains:  “Eve Of Destruction was originally a song by a chap called Barry McGuire. He did an acoustic, anti-war, demonstration song. We’ve done two covers of that on the album, a heavy metal cover and an acoustic cover that’s very similar to the original.”

The album was recorded at The Old Smithy studios in Worcestershire, where Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and Robert Plant have all worked.  Judas Priest’s recording engineer Richard Wood was also drafted in to help create the finished product.

The band admits it has been the most incredible learning experience working alongside Downing, who would take songs the band thought were complete and rework them into something even more spectacular.

AJ says: “It was just amazing working with someone like KK, with his experience of so many albums and it was a blessing-and-a-half to have someone like him.”

Gunga adds: “The scary thing for me was we used to listen to it and think it was fantastic and then it was ripped to pieces and put back together and we never realised it would ever sound as good as it is now.

“Now we know how to make songs live and breathe where before we were just playing them. It’s just been an invaluable lesson to us all.”

Andy adds: “We’ve all been in bands before but it just doesn’t come anywhere near the knowledge that he’s imparted to us.”

With Eve of Destruction being shopped around record companies, the band is now turning its attention to getting back on the live circuit, and particularly with their return to Download Festival on June 14, having made their Donington debut last year to rave reviews.

“We’ve been locked in the studio for six months finishing off the album. So now that’s finished we’re ready to get out there and start gigging again,” says AJ.

Gunga adds: “Donington last year was fantastic, out of this world, a dream come true, especially after having been there every other year on the other side as a fan. To go from one side of the barrier to being backstage is just fantastic and very, very surreal.”

With the album in the can and gigs being lined up again, Hostile have their sights set on joining the Midlands rock elite.

Andy says: “We almost feel we’ve got a duty to put Black Country metal back to the forefront, having Ozzy, Zeppelin, Priest all come from round here.

“There hasn’t been anyone for a while. So we feel like its time for us to put the Black County back on the map.”

AJ adds: “There’s never going to be another Judas Priest or Black Sabbath. But we’ll pick the baton up and carry on from where they left off.”

* Hostile play Download Festival at Donington on Sunday, June 14. They will warm up for Donington by supporting Prong at JB’s in Dudley on Tuesday, June 9, and are on the bill for Brit Fest 2009, also at JB’s, on July 25.

* You can hear excerpts from Eve of Destruction at www.myspace.com/hostileuk1

*The bands website is http://hostileband.com