One of the most interesting metal CDs to reach my battered ears in recent months comes from an independent label called Guitar Nine Records.

"Hands of Danz" boasts quite an unusual gimmick. Six bands get two songs each on the album. The leaders of these six bands are all named Daniel or Dan or Danny. Weird, but anything to sell a few more of those shiny little disks.

Compilations aren't usually recognized as stellar products, but "Hands of Danz" just might cause headbangers of the world to unite in enjoying some accomplished if not exactly overwhelming.

The variety of bands, however doesn't lead to a variety in the music put forth. One common denominator is that all these guys are talented and play with a certain amount of skill.

Now it's been argued for decades that metal monsters don't necessarily need talent. As long as they can play the basic three chords of rock while dressed in funny outfits and making sure the knobs are turned all the way to the top level on every speaker a band can afford. More than with any other genre, metal mavens demand a uniformity that sometimes leads to a lack of imagination.

To fans of the metal trade, the lack of vocals on this album may be cause of concern. Having heard enough bad singing to last several lifetimes, I find "Hands of Danz" refreshing in its willingness to rely on music and to dispense with warbling that often sound like the death throes of a farm animal.

Here are the six leaders: Dan Shimmyo from East Meadow, New York: Daniel Wentworth of Ann Arbor, Michigan; Dan McAvinchey of Raleigh, North Carolina; Dan Begelman from Flushing, New York; Danny Masters of Colorado, and Dan McInerney of Preston, Washington.