N.W.O.B.H.M. Wednesday: Desolation Angels-King

Dissonance Productions
2018

Desolation Angels is a N.W.O.B.H.M./power metal band that was initially active from 1981 until 1994. During that time frame the group put out four demos, one single, one EP, and two full-length albums. Released in 1986, it was band's self-titled debut that would make Desolation Angels cult heroes of the N.W.O.B.H.M. movement! In preparation for this review I listened to "Desolation Angels" again. While it had been a longtime since I pulled the CD out, "Desolation Angels" still had that old metal magic that had cast a spell on me so many years ago. Here we are some 32 years and I had to wonder whether or not this U.K. metal band still had that special spark. Having re-formed in 2012, modern day Desolation Angels were a bit of a mysterious to me. I know the band released a EP in 2014 entitled "Sweeter the Meat", but beyond that I had no idea of what I was in for when it came to "King". Before playing the album I did see that the band is now fronted by Paul Taylor (Midnight Messiah, ex-Elixir, ex-Midas). In actuality the only original members left of this British metal band are the guitarists, Keith Sharp and Robin Brancher. Otherwise we have bassist Clive Pearson (ex-B-Side, ex-First Hand, ex-Lip service, ex-Lynx, ex-Pink Metal Kitchen, ex-The Mochines, ex-Thee Unknowns, and ex-Winter (London, UK)) and drummer Chris Takka (Gallow God, ex-De Marica). That was the line-up that I saw before diving straight into this new album. Hitting play, "Doomsday" opened this album and right away, I knew that it was a case of love at first sight sound!  I look back on this group now (with "King" once again blaring away in the background!) and I realize that this was the perfect crew to cut a killer LP like this! All five of these musicians are hotter than hell on this 9-track release, lead vocalist Paul Taylor giving a performance that is straight out the N.W.O.B.H.M. scene of yesterday! Stacked to the max with lethal numbers like "Another Turn of the Screw" and "Rotten to the Core", "King" is also a tale of two ageless guitarist in Keith Sharp and Robin Brancher. Early on in "King" it was abundantly clear that Desolation Angel's classic metal sound not only alive and well, but all set up to kick ass and take no shit! Songs like "Devil Sent", "Your Blackened Heart", and "Hellfire" offer further proof that Desolation Angels are back and that they are armed to the teeth for the upcoming metal attack. Mixing their classic sound with crunchy hard rock and straight-up power metal, "King" features strong material than is sure to please old and new metalheads alike. For those looking for something besides beefed up hard & heavy metal, "Find Your Life" is a slow burner with both power and passion. At six minutes and thirty seconds it takes a few emotional twists and turns, but ultimately it is a rewarding ride. Then there is the song "Sky of Pain". Falling somewhere between classic heavy metal and melodic power metal, "Sky of Pain" is a majestic number that has the heart of a AOR number and the soul of radio rocker. Sitting right next to the album's closer, "My Demon Inside", "Sky of Pain" is a song that hooks you in with it's message and then keeps you there with it's sound. The same thing can be said of the moody rocker "My Demon Inside". Here in the closing moments of "King" the members of Desolation Angles show us that there is more to the picture than just heart-stopping metal blazers. The songs "Find Your Life", "Sky of Pain", and "My Demon Inside" show off a different side of Desolation Angels, but they are just as slick as "Another Turn of the Screw", "Rotten to the Core", and "Hellfire". In closing, "King" would be worth it just for the amazing metallic moments and/or the well-written softer moments. With all of this versatility, "King" becomes a must-have for not only fans of Desolation Angels and N.W.O.B.H.M., but anyway that likes energetic, guitar-driven heavy/power metal. To the members of Desolation Angels I say "Welcome back" and "Congregations" for what I consider to to be the comeback album of 2018!

N.W.O.B.H.M. Wednesday: Robespierre-Garden of Hell

Shadow Kingdom Records
2018

Robespierre is a N.W.O.B.H.M band that is comprised of David Cooke (guitars, vocals) and Gordon Logan (drums). Initially formed way back in 1983, this heavy metal/doom metal didn't have as much success the first time around as they should have. Fast forward some to 2011 and the compilation "Die You Heathen, Die!" is released on vinyl by Buried by Time and Dust Records. Slowly but surely the buzz starts to rise about this long-lost English metal band with a shit ton of talent and enthusiasm. By the time the compilation is released on CD by Skol Records (and in a killer package FYI!) just about everyone is hip to what Robespierre has to offer. That was in 2013. That summer I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to interview vocalist/guitarist David Cooke (link). Here it is early 2018 and we are just now getting a taste of what modern-day Robespierre has to offer. Let's not mince words then. For any Robespierre fans out there (and yes folks, that does include me!), "Garden of Hell" is solid proof that some things get better with age! Starting off strong with the killer track "Punish Oppressors", "Garden of Hell" is the long-overdue debut album from Robespierre and dammit man(!), it has been worth the wait! There are ten tracks in all on this British metal release and there isn't a dud to be found! This is 100% killer/no-filler N.W.O.B.H.M. that demands multiple spins and more than a few devil horns in the air salutes! Numbers like "Mare of Steel". "Feed the Fire", "The Black Mirror", and "Men of Violence" make this album stick out with grandness. By combining their familiar sound (thunderous heavy metal with grit and style!) with shades of doom metal and traditional/power metal, Robespierre has development a hard & heavy sound that is as gloomy as it dangerous! No matter whether it is "Dagon Rises", "Fear", "Welcome to the Cult" or "I am a Flower (In the Garden of Evil)", Robespierre has demonstrated the positive effects of evolving your sound and style. For a band that traces it's roots back to the early eighties, band members Gordon Logan and David Cooke still sound young and refreshed on this new album. It's obviously that both musicians still have the fire burning deep down inside. That is reflected in the dynamic performances and the way in which this album has been presented. On a scale of 1 to 10, "Garden of Hell" is a sandwiched somewhere in-between a 8.5 and 9. In my eye that makes "Garden of Hell" a new metal classic!

N.W.O.B.H.M. Wednesday: Rock Goddess-It's More Than Rock And Roll

Bite You To Death Records
2017

Formed in 1977 by sisters Jody (lead vocals/guitars) and Julie Turner (drums/backing vocals), Rock Goddess is a legendary N.W.O.B.H.M. band from London, England that has only gotten better with age! The group's brand new 3-track EP, "It's More Than Rock And Roll", is all the proof that ones needs to make such a declaration. Backed up by longtime bassist Tracey Lamb (ex-Girlschool), Jody and Julie Turner reaffirm that there is no age restriction on rocking out! Just click on the official video of the title track to hear it for yourself!! It is posted right below this article and it is everything that I love about (straight-up) heavy metal! As someone who discovered Rock Goddess by way of the group's 1983 self-titled debut, "It's More Than Rock And Roll" makes me fall further in love with the exceptional talent that this trio continues to showcase. And that is just the EP's first track! Besides the (instant-classic!) title track you have "Back Off" and "We're All Metal". All three numbers offer a slightly different take on heavy rock/heavy metal and they are all equally suburb. With the self-explanatory "Back Off" the members of Rock Goddess put their feet down and make a stand. This stand is aided by heavy riffs and a metallic edge that just screams "Crank me up!" and "Listen up and listen good!". It's also the perfect way for this London trio to reaffirm their well-deserved place in the metal scene. Of course fans of Rock Goddess realize that this status statement isn't necessary. There has never been a question about what Rock Goddess means to the scene. If anything this just tells today's youth that this is where it all started. It was bands like Rock Goddess that broke down the doors and made it clear that heavy metal shouldn't be about your sex, but your talent and skill set! Just in case that isn't obvious enough to everyone in the metal community, "We're All Metal" spells out the fact that heavy metal is about the music and the lifestyle it fuels. I've always said that the heavy metal community is one big family and "We're All Metal" speaks to that bound. Due out on May 19th, "It's More Than Rock And Roll" is heavy metal at it's finest. If there is any fault to be found with this EP then it has to be it's length. After a couple of spins of "It's More Than Rock And Roll" you just can't help but want to hear more. These three songs remind you of the staying power that is Rock Goddess and exactly what new music means for the fans. Hopefully this EP will start the ball rolling again for this N.W.O.B.H.M. outfit and we won't have to wait so long in-between releases!

                                               

You can pre-order the digital version of Rock Goddess' new EP by heading here. Meanwhile if you head this way you can pre-order physical copies of the EP.  The first 500 copies will be signed and numbered!

Tysondog-Cry Havoc

Rocksector Records
2015

Friends, family and fellow followers of all things loud and proud (and flat out the almighty f**kin' power cord!) this LP before us is hand's down the most eagerly-awaited releases of 2015! Or at least it was for me! Let me explain. Back in May of 2012 I covered this N.W.O.B.H.M. band's EP, "Hammerhead 2012", and at the time I made the remark that I hoped it wouldn't be too long before we would see a new full-length release from these Newcastle heavy metal merchants. Needless to say, "Cry Havoc" is long-overdue! Where have you been hiding Tysondog? Why the long wait? What took so long between then and now? I do have to wonder. The thing is that's neither here nor there. "Cry Havoc" is finally here and therefore we move on to the bigger question of the day. Was "Cry Havoc" worth the extra long wait? Is it everything that a long-time N.W.O.B.H.M. fanatic/Tysondog fan could ask for? For this N.W.O.B.H.M. fan/collector the answer is short and sweet. Yes! Yes, "Cry Havoc" is everything I could have hoped for and yes, even more! From the material to the overall production everything is just so right about Tysondog's latest. So much so in fact that it's almost hard to believe that this band goes all the way back to the early eighties and yet sounds this INVIGORATING and overall INTENSE! Credit that to the production job if you must seeing as it was handled by the one and only Jeff "Mantas" Dunn (founding member of Venom of course, but also with Mantas and Mpire of Evil!). Or at least it starts there as "Cry Havoc" feels like a release that Mantas would have his hands all over! And that my friends is a damn fine thing as Mantas is HUGE when it comes to REAL metal! Working with the material at hand (which is beyond heavy as it hammers away at your eardrums from the word go!) Mantas took what Tysondog had (strong as steel material!!!) and presented it in such a perfect way! Everything from John "Clutch" Carruthers's commanding lead vocals to the fabulous (read: shredtastic!) solos of new lead guitarist Steve Morrison (Judas Rising) is spot on and from the moment this one opens with the heavier than hell title cut it's all over! You are hooked from the start and treated to a very rare kind of album where traditional heavy metal, N.W.O.B.H.M., speed metal and even Motörhead-inspired heavy rock all combine in absolute perfect harmony! With Kev Wynn (bass), Paul Burdis (lead guitar) and Phil Brewis (drums) rounding out this mad pack of dogs things get nice and hot the move this long player moves along! With their N.W.O.B.H.M. roots still firmly in tack the band is never shy about branching out into new areas of hard rock and heavy metal as "Cry Havoc" showcases a seemingly reborn band infused with additional elements/influences such as AC/DC, Soundgarden (or really the very early days of Soundgarden when they were still heavily into all things post-Black Sabbath!), the aforementioned Motörhead and even early (solo) Rob Zombie/White Zombie! Lest you think that Tysondog is simply trying to appeal to modern day tastes pretty much everything about this five-piece band comes as as sincere, real and downright-honest with "Cry Havoc" sounding as close to classic metal as you can get! If you take anything away from this new release (other than how remarkable it is that they sound stunningly fresh!) it should be how Metal the album is compared to what's on the market these days! Pound for pound this LP is is as Metal as it gets which only helps to reaffirm the fact that there has never been a better time to be a N.W.O.B.H.M. fanatic then now! Due to drop on on April 20, 2015, "Cry Havoc" is yet another great release from a record label that is also home to such great N.W.O.B.H.M. bands as Avenger, Tygers Of Pan Tang and Quartz. "Cry Havoc" includes 12 brand new songs with not a dub to be found amongst the lot! You can actually hear one of this LP's cooler tracks, "Shadow of the Beast" (which features some prominent bass playing by Kev Wynn!) right here:https://soundcloud.com/rocksector/tysondog-shadow-of-the-beast although like I said there really isn't a bad song to be had here! "Cry Havoc" opens with the grueling punishment that is the title cut and from there it just heavy hitter after heavy hitter with solid tracks such as "The Needle",  "Parasite" and "Nemesis" leaving little room for doubt as far as the integrity and intensity if 2015-era Tysondog! Doom metal fans should enjoy "Into The Void" as it has tasty classic metal licks sandwiched in-between vocals that out Ozzy even the Ozz man himself while "Playing with Fire" takes the harsher side of Judas Priest and gives it a heavy dose of heavy rock and roll! Speaking of the harsher things in life (or at least when it comes to the boiling hot "Cry Havoc"!) there is the number "Relentless" which could be seen as the missing link between old Tysondog and Pantera!  And that's just a sampling of what's in store with "Cry Havoc"! The album, which is available for pre-order now as a special CD Fanpack direct from Rocksector Records at www.rocksector.com, is really the next evolutionary step for a band early releases balanced hard rock and heavy metal/speed metal so perfectly. It's N.W.O.B.H.M. after getting a face lift and a shot of adrenalin and at the end of the day it's simply an album that I can't help but ramble on and on about! "Cry Havoc" is not only a essential pick-up for fans of Tysondog, but it's a mandatory must-buy for those who still claim to love tried and true heavy metal and everything that it represents!

Review of Tysondog's "Hammerhead 2012":
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2012/05/tysondog-hammerhead-2012.html

The Deep-Premonition

Artwork courtesy of CadiesArt

Self-release/Independent
2015

It's taken band members Tony Coldham (lead vocals), Paul Smith (guitars and vocals), Mick Feleppa (guitars and vocals), Don Whiberley (bass and vocals) and Steve Kingsley (drums and percussion) a few years, but they have done it. They have pulled it off and then some. All of the hard work and perseverance has paid off for The Deep as their upcoming debut album, "Premonition", is everything that the band and their fans could have hoped for. Let's just be clear of that from the very start and state the obvious and that would be that for N.W.O.B.H.M./traditional heavy metal band The Deep the 10-track "Premonition" is as near a classic as you can get! British hard rock and heavy metal fans as well as N.W.O.B.H.M. collectors of old and new should look towards this band from London and give thanks as this is how it should be down. This is how you issue a long-awaited full-length debut album and for a band that can trace it's roots all the way back to to the early 80's (and even sooner if you'd like) and the N.W.O.B.H.M. scene (vocalist Tony Coldham alone has ties to bands like Minas Tirith, Ocean, Strutt, Airrace, The Rodford Files, GMD and of course Deep Machine!) this is one remarkable collection of tracks that glistens with youthful enthusiasm while simultaneously pulling off that oh-so-familiar/well-loved classic British metal vibe! For The Deep (who I had the privileged of interviewing back in April of last year*) 2015's "Premonition" is proof that they've come a long way since the release of their 2013 demo (http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-deep-demo-2013.html) while showing the world that said demo was far from a fluke! Of the ten tracks on "Premonition" six are new to this recording while the following four tracks ("The Rider", All I Want", "Spellbound" and the title cut) all appeared on the group's 2013 demo. "The Rider" was actually my favorite number from the group's previous demo and as the opening number on "Premonition" it really sets the stage right. From there you are greeted warming by "You Take My Breath Away" which is a rugged heavy rocker with a smooth A.O.R. after-coat!With new songs such as "Nightstalker", "Cold Hearted" and "Out Of Touch" filling the gap between 2013's demo material and now you end up with a LP that is consistent enough as far as quality of product is concerned while (style-wise) it offers something from everyone. For example let's cue up the tracks "Nightstalker" and "Saga". While the former is A.O.R. done right (I absolutely LOVE how it starts of subtle and then picks up steam! And the slick lead guitar work? Don't even get me started!!) the latter could almost be seen as The Deep's take on epic metal! Both songs have the same great quality while showing off two different and distinct sides of this respectable London band! And as far as the re-recorded material here is concerned? Well, it's not just "The Rider" that stands out! The title cut alone is slick and absolutely sick it as harkens back to the N.W.O.B.H.M. days. "Spellbound" is just good hard rock as is "All I Want". Collectively this London act works the lines between the old and the new making heavy yet tuneful material with multi-generational appeal. From "The Rider" up to and including album closer "Turn Me Loose", "Premonition" works it's magic as it entertains listeners and outperforms the competition. Everyone from the vocalist to the drummer is on their A Game here with "Premonition" achieving top marks all around. This LP left me happy as could be and it offered assurance that 2015 is going to be another good year for heavy metal fans!

You can find London's The Deep online here: https://www.facebook.com/TheDeepUK

*Interview with The Deep:
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2014/04/interview-with-nwobhm-band-deep.html


CandiesArt can be found online here: http://cadiesart.com/home.php

Interview with N.W.O.B.H.M. band The Deep

One week ago today I covered the 2013 debut-demo from London's The Deep. You can check out that review right here (http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-deep-demo-2013.html) and up-front let's just call it like it is. Had I heard the 4-track demo before the cut-off date for my "Best of 2014" list it would have easily made it as it's about as good as you can get when you're talking about classic heavy metal! This (soon to be household name if the metal gods would just get up off their lazy butts and do something about it!!!!) N.W.O.B.H.M. act, which has ties to bands such as Deep Machine, Rogue Male, Angel Witch and Vardis,  was kind enough to sit down and discuss the past, present and future and for that I give a hearty "Thanks" while I throw some devil horns up in the air as homage to what has proved to be one dead-serious kick-ass heavy metal outfit!

Andy-First things first. Tell us about The Deep would you please?

The Deep-Well, although it’s a new name, the roots of the band go back to 1982 when most of us were together in a band called Deep Machine. It was a great band. There was myself on vocals, Tony Harris and Paul W. Smith on guitars, Andy Wrighton on bass and Steve Kingsley on drums. I think we all felt it was the best band any of us had ever been in, and we felt that we really should have been signed up by a label. Thirty years later we decided to have a jam together and it was brilliant, so we decided to re-form. However, by now the name Deep Machine was being used by a different line-up, hence we adopted the name The Deep.

Unfortunately, two of the members; guitarist Tony Harris and bassist Andy Wrighton couldn’t continue with us. Andy was already heavily committed to Tokyo Blade and found working in two bands impractical. Sadly, Tony developed an ongoing physical illness which makes it hard for him to play guitar anymore – which is a terrible shame. Although that was very disappointing for us, we were very lucky to get back in touch with an old friend, guitarist Mick Feleppa. Then, after quite a search, we eventually found bassist Don Whiberley.
 
Andy-Wow, it sure sounds as if you've come a long way just to make it to this point! As hinted at though your band has ties to some of the greats, heavy metal and N.W.O.B.H.M bands alike! There is a lot of experience packed into The Deep. Just how do you keep it all contained?

The Deep-Yeah, we’ve all been around and played with some great musicians in other bands too. I was with Airrace for a while and also in another band with drummer Les Binks of Judas Priest. Steve was in Rogue Male after Deep Machine split up and was also in Vardis for a time. Curiously, both Deep Machine and The Deep historically have ties with members of Angel Witch. Kevin Heybourne was with Deep Machine just prior to our line up forming and our current band, The Deep, had Kevin Riddles on bass for a few months.

There’s no doubt that in terms of experience we’re very fortunate. However, more importantly, I think we are all very creative people and as a band we all gel. The personality mix has a great bearing on the effectiveness of a band and when things are in equilibrium, the creative processes flow. When we were looking to recruit new members our drummer, Steve Kingsley, was especially keen to find the right people as well as the right musicians. We’re all different personality types, but the balance is good and we all respect each other and listen to each other. I guess we’re all pretty grounded really.
 
Andy-I've just got to say that your 2013 demo is fantastic! How did that come about? What has been the reaction to it so far from fans and critics alike?

The Deep-Thank you, that’s very kind of you to say so. Well, we were keen to record quite early on because we already had the songs. Most of the stuff we’d been playing was mostly written by myself and Tony Harris in the eighties. We’d spent most of 2013 trying to get the line up completed and we’d got to the stage where we had Mick on board and we’d been working with a bassist by the name of Bob Allen. We’d been rehearsing for weeks and were getting ready for the demo when Bob decided to quit too.

By this point we just decided to go ahead with the recording and let Mick and Paul play the bass parts. It was actually a good friend of ours Terry Whiberley who suggested we try out his son Don, who was a bassist. Boy were we glad we did! First we jammed with him at a rehearsal and then threw him in at the deep end (no pun intended) by letting him record one of the tracks. He impressed the hell out of us so we asked him to join and he finished the demo with us.

We were all pleasantly surprised with the demo as an end-product. Things often sound good in the studio, but when you take them home and listen, you start to hear problems. This demo just seemed to sound pretty good from start to finish. The engineer, Steve Good, has had a lot of experience with rock bands and is into rock music. The recording studio is actually part of the rehearsal complex where we rehearse each week, so the engineer had heard us dozens of times and knew the sound we wanted before we even started recording. That obviously paid off for us. Plus the approach has to be right. If you treat it like a demo it’ll probably end up sounding like one. We treated it like an album and try to play well, and hopefully that shows.

Reception has been great, very positive from public and press alike. So we’re very happy with that. But it’s still early days and we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us yet.
 
Andy-Well, I'd argue that you're more then have way there if the EP is anything to go by! And speaking of which, some labels have shown interest in sighing you correct? Based on the strength of that EP alone I'd wager! 
The Deep-That’s true, there are a number of labels showing interest, but we’re in no rush. Our focus at the moment is to promote ourselves and we believe the best way to do that is to gig. We also believe our strength is going to be in our live performances. Hopefully, from that we’ll develop a following. When the time is right we’ll decide how we’re gonna go about doing the album, either as part of a label, or independently.

Andy-Count me in then on your that following! I'm on board and ready to roll! Now, we all know that the studio has been kind to you (again, the 2013 demo is killer folks!), but it also sounds as if The Deep has already made a splash on the live scene. How has the reaction been? Are there some shows coming up that you'd like to plug?

The Deep-Actually, apart from a couple of low-key unannounced warm up gigs we’re just started to book them now. Don had to learn all the material and we’ve been tweaking song arrangements and also been writing new stuff too. We’ve got a few confirmed dates booked from May onwards. The biggest one so far is a metal festival, Metalwave 2, just outside London, which is really cool. A few of our NWOBHM friends are playing that one too, so that will be fun. I think the audience is going to expect a lot from us because back in 1982 we had a great reputation for live performances. I can promise you that we plan to deliver this time around too.

I also can’t wait to play in Europe again, that was brilliant last time around. We’re looking at playing one or two of the festivals there next year. Maybe we can get some dates arranged in the States next year too, fingers crossed. There are numerous bands we’re looking forward to playing with: Chariot, Midnight Messiah, Soldier, Monument, Weapon UK, House of X…just to name a few. It would be especially nice to do a gig or two with the current line up of Deep Machine, so audiences can hear all the songs from the eighties, the ones we play and the ones they play. I think fans would really appreciate that.

Andy-All of that sounds awesome and I wish you guys nothing but the best! How can our readers get in touch with you about purchasing the demo?

The Deep-The web site won’t be up and running for a few weeks yet, in the meantime they can email us: the(dot)deepnwobhm(at)btinternet(dot)com
Or drop us a line on our Facebook page:
http://www(dot)facebook(dot)com/thedeep(dot)nwobhm


Andy-Well, I'd just like to encourage all of our readers to check out the band's 4-track demo for themselves and, if you live on the other side of the pond, see The Deep live! I thank you once again for taking the time to talk with us and be sure to keep in touch!

N.W.O.B.H.M. Wednesday: Battleaxe-Burn This Town (2013 Re-Release)

SPV/Steamhammer
2013

In anticipation of the soon to be released "Heavy Metal Sanctuary", which will be the first new studio-album* from English heavy metal outfit Battleaxe since 1984's "Power From The Universe", I thought what better way is there to celebrate then to (re-discover) this 1983 N.W.O.B.H.M. gem? Especially as the re-release is now sporting a brand new cover which is about a billion times better album then this!:

Yes, I know what you're thinking because it's my exact thought as well! Where did they find the 13 year schoolboy to draw that cover? In what just might be the BIGGEST example of why you just can't judge a book by it's cover, "Burn This Town" originally sported one atrocious album cover which was just sad. Why sad? Because, simply put, what awaits the listener is (straight-up/no chaser) MONSTER metal that (on one hand) draws it's influence from the likes of (early hard hitters) Motörhead, Raven and Tank while also taking a cue or two from fellow N.W.O.B.H.M. heroes Judas Priest and Saxon (a band with which the band actually toured!). Having originally formed at the tail end of the seventies**, with vocalist David King proving to be more than a capable front-man (his raspy voice being the icing on the cake when it comes to this what this four-piece hard and heavy outfit was rolling out back in the day!) and with "Burn This Town" first appearing as a single in 1982, Battleaxe adhered to the no- frills (but plenty of thrills!) style of metal that we've all come to know and, frankly yes my brothers and sisters in arms, LOVE! This (timely) re-release by Steamhammer, which includes a session*** that Battleaxe did for the Friday Rock Show back on May 13th of 1983 tacked on as the (obligatory) bonus material, is prime-time heavy metal/N.W.O.B.H.M. with plenty of punch and power! Opener "Ready To Deliver" let's you know right up-front what this lot was all about and from there it's just crunchy rocker after crunchy rocker with cuts like the title cut, "Dirty Rocker", "Overdrive", "Running Out of Time", "Starmaker" and the band's namesake song all adding extra fuel to the fire! I for one am ashamed to admit that I overlooked this album for far too-long just because of the album's abysmal stab at "thunder and lightning"-themed "warrior" art. I missed out on so much making this re-release nothing short of manna from heaven in the form of heavy metal goodness!  While the band (sadly) was only active (originally) between 1979 and 1987, with the follow-up release, "Power From The Universe", being their only other released full-length endeavor so far, "Burn This Town" really does stand as testament as to what was a FANTASTIC movement as far as the N.W.O.B.H.M. scene goes! For fans of Judas Priest, Saxon, (early) Raven and Tank (meaning fast and furious metal madness!) this is one re-release that should peak your curiosity! As I've already pre-ordered my copy of "Heavy Metal Sanctuary" (featuring one-time Skyclad drummer Paul A.T. Kinson!) I'll cover that album as soon as it lands in my mailbox! Now though I do want to recommend "Burn This Town" to fellow metal maniacs and N.W.O.B.H.M. collectors as it's a real gem of an album with smashing-good tunes of the highest headbanging quality!

* Battleaxe recorded a third album in 1987 entitled "Mean Machine", but it has (to my knowledge) never "officially" been released. I would be curious to find out if the band still owned the rights to "Mean Machine". If they did, and providing that a track like "Mean Machine" is any indication as to the band's direction on said album, then why not release it? Maybe that is in the works? I would love to find out. If anyone can put me in contact with David King and company that would be greatly appreciated!

 **Some sources claim that this Sunderland-based outfit started out as Warrior in 1979 with the name change to Battleaxe taking place in 1980 or so. If they did start of as Warrior then it would be no small wonder that they would opt for the name change as back then (late seventies-early eighties) there seemed to be more than a dozen plus bands going by the same moniker!

***For said session the band, which at the time featured David King on vocals, Steve Hardy on guitar and Brian Smith on bass, enlisted the services of  one-time Satan drummer Ian McCormack (also of Cronos and Pariah). He would stick around with the band for the follow-up album, 1984's "Power from the Universe", as he replaced original drummer Ian Thompson (Metal Mirror, Tokyo Rose) who ended up leaving Battleaxe for Dark Heart! Besides "Ready To Deliver" and "Running Out Of Time" (both of which appeared on the "Burn This Town" full-length LP) the session included the very cool (rock-like) "Shout It Out" and "Mean Machine", which, had it made it onto the band's (unreleased) third full-length, would have proved to be a solid heavy metal thrasher! 

Blitzkrieg-Back From Hell

Metal Nation Records
2013

In preparation for this review of "Back From Hell" I decided to dig through my old notes on New Wave Of British Heavy Metal legends Blitzkrieg. After looking back over our archives I realized that the last time Blitzkrieg was covered here was back in 2011! Both Metal Mark and I did a write-up on this British metal band and what's interesting is that even that far back there were rumblings of a new Blitzkrieg studio-album! So it's been six years that fans have had to wait. That's six (l-o-n-g) years since Blitzkrieg's last recording (the so-so "Theatre of the Damned") and, in typical fashion for this band that was formed in Leicester way back in 1980( for a more thorough history on the band be sure to check out our N.W.O.B.H.M. Wednesday feature on Blitzkrieg at the link below)!), more line-up changes have taken place between studio-albums. Joining the always-dependable Brian Ross (lead vocals and keyboards) on "Back From Hell", which is (full-length) album number eight for the band if my counting is correct, we have Brian's son Alan (ex-Earthrod, ex-Cardinal Synne) on guitar along with guitarist Ken Johnson, bassist Bill Baxter and drummer Mick Kerrigan. Other then Johnson (who at least played live for the band in the past if nothing else) this looks to be a whole new cast of characters. Now, prior to downloading this album for myself off of iTunes (I have the expanded CD edition heading my way from Japan as we speak, but who knows when that will get here!) I did read a copy of reviews of Blitzkrieg's latest and I know that at least one review mentioned how Satan (Brian's other N.W.O.B.H.M. band which released the excellent "Life Sentence" earlier this year-link to review also available below this article) had better musicians backing up Brian then Blitzkrieg did. No arguments there. Especially as the guys in Satan (if memory serves me correct) were all season veterans. Here we do seem to have a younger bunch of metalheads backing up Brian Ross. But, while they might not be as technically sufficient as the key players in Satan, in regards to Blitzkrieg I'd offer the counter-point that less is more. Since Blitzkrieg always seemed to be more of a blue collar metal act anyway I think in this instance the other key personnel do just fine. Besides, this album comes off as being more of an 80's metal album/N.W.O.B.H.M. release then Satan's latest so they both have a lot offer fans. Alright, now that I've addressed that issue let's take a peak at the actual music inside of "Back From Hell". The album starts off with a spoken-word intro in which we find Jake the Ripper returning to modern-day London. Having (presumably) escaped from hell he converses with a "charming" prostitute while lamenting how everything has changed so dramatically. Soon enough he shows his "true" face and the album takes off running with the title-track, "Back From Hell". Having always been fascinated by the story of Jake the Ripper I actual like the theme of Blitzkrieg's latest offering and, pound for pound and note for note, the metal on display here does seem to live up to the album's creepy send-off! After setting the stage with the near speed-metal assault of "Back From Hell" we're "treated" to a modern-take of the band's early classic "Buried Alive". While such a number could be deemed totally unnecessary it does at least show off the strength of modern-day Brian Ross. Having listened to both cuts back to back (as I was curious after hearing the new remake) it doesn't stack-up to the original number, but then again how could anyone reasonably expect it to? We're talking about one of N.W.O.B.H.M.'s better singles here, but for what it is (a modern-day interpretation and all) it's not all that bad. It's not the only choice of covers on "Back From Hell" as the band does a decent enough job on a re-worked "Seek and Destroy" (dubbed "S&D (Seek and Destroy)" on "Back From Hell"). As Metallica covered Blitzkrieg at the very start of their career it seems fitting enough that Brian Ross and company repay the favor. It's not  a choice cover by any stretch of the imagination, but it does reaffirm my belief that Brian Ross should have been called in to front Metallica. I know they were trying for John Bush and (maybe?) Glenn Danzig, but had Metallica somehow convinced Brian Ross to come sing for them can you even begin to imagine how cool that would have been? Anyway, speaking of other artists and what not on "Call for the Priest" the band name-checks all things Judas Priest. With it's lyrics (seemingly at least as I don't have them in front of me to verify) made up entirely of Judas Priest song and album titles it's an interesting tribute of sorts. Sure it came as a bit of a surprise, but both are supreme British metal acts so one can see (or in this case hear!) the connection between both acts easy enough! Elsewhere we have numbers like the HEAVY and yet MELODIC "Complicated Issue" which, besides being different just in the fact that it ends up dealing with the issue of substance abuse, features excellent female vocals and well-placed keyboard passes! Yes, Brian Ross duets with a female vocalist and plays some snazzy keyboard parts the result is (surprisingly enough) pure heavy metal excellence! Who knew such a set-up could work so well? Meanwhile the number "V" is inspired by Alan Moore's graphic novel "V for Vendetta" although for my money it's hard to listen to it and not think of the 2006 film "V for Vendetta" instead! It's another surprisingly effective metal number as is speed-tinged "Sleepy Hollow" and (original version) album closer', "We Have Assumed Control". Thanks to the Metal Archives I now know that "Return to the Village" is lyrically inspired by the British TV series "The Prisoner". That does not however make up for it's ho-hum assembly and bland delivery. Still it's probably the only cut here I didn't really go for as "Sahara" is a solid slab of (slow build-up, but huge pay-off!) heavy metal while "One Last Time" sees Blitzkrieg pull of a power ballad in grand fashion! As shocking as it is to hear Brian Ross sing with a (talented) female vocalist on "Complicated Issue" it's just as shocking to see the band tackle a power ballad and make it stand out! Other then the instrumental "4 U" that's it for the standard version of this disc. When I do (hopefully soon?) get the extended version of "Back From Hell" I'll do an edit and comment on the bonus material. But for now all of that is what you get out of "Back From Hell" and this is one release that gives as good as it gets! Brian Ross still sings with the fire of a younger man and Blitzkrieg does their best to remind folks that they are every bit as important to the the N.W.O.B.H.M.movement and heavy metal history as bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. With their new album, "Back From Hell", Blitzkrieg have given fans of old plenty to rejoice about while still releasing one album that should appeal to today's younger generation of metal fanatics. It's definitively not a strictly N.W.O.B.H.M release as the band's celebrated return sees them trying out everything from 80's metal to near modern speed/power metal, but for those of whose of us who are old enough to know the real score it's as good as it gets! Welcome back Blitzkrieg. I hope you realize just how much you've been missed...

N.W.O.B.H.M. Wednesday feature on Blitzkrieg:http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2011/03/nwobhm-wednesday-blitzkrieg.html

Review of Satan's "Life Sentence":
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2013/05/satan-life-sentence.html

Forgotten Gems: Force-Set Me Free...From This Pain Inside My Head

I really toyed with the idea of covering this one and done release by the UK's Force as part of my "N.W.O.B.H.M. Wednesday" series. Especially as the oddly-name Force (formerly know as Cryer) were (technically) a part of the movement and the nine-track "Set Ne Free..." was released on Heavy Metal Records*. But, strip away the totally misleading cover art (which likely mislead more then a few lost souls into thinking that this was some sort of wicked heavy metal) and the uninspiring and grotesquely overused moniker and at the heart of it all was a band that (seemingly) aspired to play a 70's progressive rock/melodic hard rock version of American AOR! Given all of that one would imagine that "Set Me Free..." proved to be a major source of disappointment for N.W.O.B.H.M. fans back in the day. Even when you look at this band as a continuation of  the UK's Cryer** (who were more in line with the likes of Deep Purple then Deep Machine!) an album like "Set Me Free..." seems to be more pomp then stomp! And yet (and I'm sure you could see this one coming from a mile away since I've choose to cover this gem and all) there is just something about this early eighties rock album that just does it for me. Lead vocals on "Set Me Free..." were provided by Graham Careless (who still looks to be in the business of rocking out!) and there's something comfortable and familiar about his delivery that puts the listener at ease. He proves equally capable of delivering hard rock numbers like opener "King's Fury" as he does a ballad like "Hesitate" (reportedly a leftover Cryer number). How (or for that matter why) he wasn't tapped for bigger and better things after the demise of Force is one of life's great mysteries. But anyway, backing this superb vocalist up on strings was guitarist Gary Chapman, guitarist Stu Clarke and bass player "Fez" Ferriday. Music-wise these three gentlemen did wonders on cuts like the aforementioned "King's Fury", "Time Is Right", "Footsteps" and "Don't Throw My Love Away". Prior to actually hearing this 1984 release I had read various points of reference ranging from the likes of Dream Theater, Rainbow and Deep Purple to bands like Styx, REO Speedwagon and Supertramp! Even fellow N.W.O.B.H.M. bands like Saracen, Limelight, Solider and Legend have been mentioned in passing when it comes to this UK act. The truth falls somewhere in between I'm afraid so warnings must be issued on the part of this one and done LP. Unless you are willing to expand your mind to the possibilities that a 70's hard rock-leaning, keyboard-heavy (courtesy of one Mr. Pete Wayne with drummer/percussionist Roger Whitehouse rounding out this six piece UK act) progressive rock band with AOR on their mind can work within the confines of a (slightly) N.W.O.B.H.M.-like atmosphere then this one is going to crash and burn right after takeoff. However, if your taste in music is rather colorful and varied (thus leaving you with an open mind and a love, like yours truly and in relation to this article, for everything from Styx to Shiva) then an album like this should leave you with a happy heart! Admittedly the album can be a bit jarring as Force did choose to move all over the map on "Set Me Free..." and that was sometimes just during the course of one song! Take the cut "I Want To See You" for example. The keys suggest an almost Kansas-like band, but then the guitar solos kick in and you find yourself on the receiving end of some gritty, N.W.O.B.H.M-infused 70's heavy metal! Crazy stuff right? Still, it does kind of work so who am I to argue with the direction of Force on said song? And really, other then the album's closing number, "Hold On To Your Love" (which seemed to be Force's attempt to write a radio rock standard, but is instead directionless & commercialized fodder), "Set Me Free..." is track after track of highly versatile rock/hard rock/heavy metal which is (damn right!) enjoyable! This is an album to be heard in it's entirety and one in which it's best to put on the headphones and just slip away. While it's never been released on CD*** you can get a nice digital download off of iTunes which, while not as good as a CD copy (or for that matter a mint LP copy of this gem!), is still a solid investment and one I'd encourage all 70's hard rock, prog rock, (early) AOR and yes, even N.W.O.B.H.M. fans(!), enthusiasts to consider! 

*While not as prolific as Neat Records this N.W.O.B.H.M. label did release material from bands such as Dragster, Handsome Beast, Twisted Ace, Shiva, Bitches Sin, Jaguar, Quartz, Satanic Rites and even Witchfinder General! Not to mention they released the two Heavy Metal Heroes compilations.

**In 1980, when they were still known as Cryer, the band members released a 7" which was called "The Single" (I know, really adventurous title there right? Although my friend Strappado's site does makes mention of it also being known as "The Visionary"). Also, Cryer appeared on 1980 "Brute Force" compilation with the track "Day To Day" which also appears on "Set Me Free...".

*** Who knows who has the rights to all of this, but wouldn't a re-mastered/expanded CD offering of this album be a good idea? If you added all of the Cryer material and had a nice booklet filled with pictures, lyrics, expanded liner notes and even a brief bio you'd be looking at a sure-fire collectors item!

Salem-Forgotten Dreams

Pure Steel Records
2013

If you are a frequent visitor to Heavy Metal Time Machine, or even if you are a long-standing fan of classic heavy metal and/or the N.W.O.B.H.M. scene, then you don't need me to preach the important role that the U.K. played in the development of heavy metal. The United Kingdom has long been fertile ground for all things loud and proud and Salem, who are also known as Salem U.K. in order to differentiate them from far too many similarly named groups, has been there since day one. Or at least day one as in 1981 which is when their first demo was released. It's been a long and winding road since then and yet, in grand style (and in similar fashion to other classic U.K band's like Hell for example), Salem are back with a brand new album and enough contagious energy to keep the fires of heavy metal burning for a very long time! The same Salem that made the limited-edition, 1982 single, "Cold As Steel/Reach For Eternity", (which has sold for nearly $1000 on the secondary market!), such a classic number has soldiered on making "Forgotten Dreams" one of 2013's best heavy metal albums! It's also the best "comeback" album that I've heard this year and an absolute MUST OWN for fans of straight-up heavy metal and N.W.O.B.H.M.! Now, this past March I had the privilege of covering Salem's much heralded "X-Rated" EP and, truth be told, the four tracks present on that EP are also on Salem's new full-length album. Those tracks, which were "When Love's In Your Heart", "X-Rated", "Ask The Lonely" and "Reach to Eternity" (2013 Version), have been re-mixed and re-mastered though, breathing new life into each and every one of them. With that said, let's take a brief look at what makes "Forgotten Dreams" such a strong contender for the "Comeback Album Of the Year" award and why bands like Salem are the past, present and future of heavy metal! Right up front it's worth noting that vocalist  Simon Saxby sounds phenomenon on this release! As the album kicks in with the title track, which is a strong number that lies somewhere between traditional heavy metal and epic heavy metal, Simon's vocals simply soar! Not only is (track number 1) "Forgotten Dreams" one cool-ass track, with guitarists Paul Macnamara and Mark Allison laying down riffs that are one-part classic rock and one-part heavy metal, but it's also the perfect way to open up an album! From there we move on to another new cut (track number 2) called "High Stakes". This one was an instant- fave of mine as the wicked guitar parts give off this almost Twilight Zone vibe with it's nightmarish riffs coming across as if they are also inspired by classic rock. The band, which also features bass player Ade Jenkinson  and Paul Mendham, has manged to take all of their various influences and turn them into a distinct, hard-driving style, that marries melody and metal madness. It's a perfect union as evident here. Alright, to make this review a little easier on the eyes I'm going to take things track by tracks, but with breaks into the sentences. Of course you are quite welcome!

Track 3) "When Loves In Your Heart"-I loved this number on the "X-Rated" EP and I love it here. This almost sleazy, hard rock number sounds more modern then anything and (again) features some simply smashing guitar playing. It also shows of the killer ability of drummer Paul Mendham who does so much more then simply keep the beat going! 

Track 4) "This Heart Is Mine"-Two songs in a row with "heart" in the title? Yes, and so what? This has a real charm to it and, as odd and off the wall as this may sound, it merges 80's metal, 80's rock and 90's melodic hard rock into one little number that is actually quite good.

Track 5) "Kazakafnu"-There is an interesting story about this one. Bassist Ade filled me in: "Kaza-Kafnu is the name of a 12-day trek from Kaza to Kafnu in the Indian Himalayas. Paul's daughter did the trek and when she came back she told us all about her experiences, so we kinda bastardized the name of the trek and made it into more of a place". Cool. Did I mention that it is also one of my favorite tracks on this album? No? Well, it is and frankly it doesn't get much better then this one. Throughout their new album Salem showcases how everyone from Thin Lizzy to Black Sabbath has allowed Salem's sound to evolve into this beautiful creature all it's own. The group's influences are really just about as varied as this album is. Wishbone Ash, Rush, Kansas, Rainbow and Deep Purple are just a few acts that have influenced the members of Salem and when it's played to utmost extreme (like on  "Kazakafnu") it's just something that's going to stick with you for a long time!

Track 6) "The Answer"-Short and sweet this one is really solid hard and heavy rock.

Track 7) "Reach For Eternity"-This updated version of an old Salem has hints of Deep Purple and Rainbow while it also carries itself in a fashion that says "Yes, I do think I can stand toe-to-toe with the modern rock radio movement and I'll prove it!". 

Track 8) "The Best Is Yet To Come"-Take the classic rock/AOR of bands like REO Speedwagon and Kansas (hear me out) and suddenly turn it into something mellow and marvelous that just screams out to be one of the album's singles!

Track 9) "X-Rated"-Another number that I loved on the band's previous EP and I love it here. Straight-up modern heavy rock having a make out session with 80's melodic heavy metal. What's not to like?

Track 10) "Break the Chains"-For some reason this one made me envision Styx and Ozzy's early (solo) band collaborating on a N.W.O.B.H.M. project!

Track 11) "Ask The Lonely"-From the previous EP and a subtle yet effective merger of classic hard rock and the light side of the N.W.O.B.H.M. movement (Praying Mantis, Bronz and White Spirit)

Track 12) "Aftershock"-A slower, almost doom take on Rainbow and Dio? Classic

Track 13) "Retribution"-Likely only to appear on the Japanese version of "Forgotten Dreams", which of course will serve as an incentive for fans to hunt down the Japanese version of "Forgotten Dreams", this one is really interesting. Reminiscent of  the early L.A. hard rock scene, this one features some crafty guitar work that, in another time and place, sure as hell sounds as if it could have been a hit for some hair metal rockers. Of course that's only if the number was fluffed up horribly as in Salem's hands it's way more reflective of a band that knows a thing or two about the virtues of classic heavy metal! 

Alright, so there you have it. A track-by-track breakdown of what just might be the comeback album of the year as well as one of my top 10 albums of the year! With the album's offer of variety, it's well-fashioned and technically savvy approach to song-writing, the epic skill-level of each and every member involved with the new album and a production (courtesy of bassist Abe) that highlights the classic appeal of U.K. heavy metal, "Forgotten Dreams" is an album that I've give a "A+" rating to and recommend for anyone and everyone reading this!

N.W.O.B.H.M. Wednesday: Legend-The Dark Place

High Roller Records 
2013

Just sit right back and bear witness to another N.W.O.B.H.M. act that deserved a better fate, or even a better send-off, then they initially received. Formed in 1980, and with 2 full-length LPs and an EP to their name before they closed up the ranks (all of which make for essentially purchases for N.W.O.B.H.M. fans and collectors alike), the band Legend hailed from the island of Jersey. While they were not the only exports from this one time (and most likely still?) club-deprived island, as the N.W.O.B.H.M. Encyclopedia makes mention of both Tracer and Jonah,  they would prove to be the most successful band as well as the one that people most remember. Still though the Island's own Legend ended their run way too soon. By 1994 they were done. It would be years before the group got back together. In that span two compilations would be released (one of which, 2002's "Anthology", is in my personal collection and it covers the recording output of Legend) before the group finally got back together around 2002. A new album, 2003's "Still Screaming", was the result of said reunion although I must confess to having never heard it. The same can't be said of this new album though as "The Dark Place" has been on heavy rotation since I first spied it sitting there like a blue light special in the promo department! Who would have guessed that after 10 years waiting that their latest output would be this good? The fact that Legend are back with such a strong album just goes to show you that there are bands out there who still know how to rock after some 30+ years! As for Legend's line-up these days it looks as if other then drummer Jack Pallota a lot of the same players from back in the day are here on "The Dark Place". Vocals come from Mike Lezala whose melodic voice still sounds great while Pete Haworth's lead guitar still retains it's familiar Black Sabbath-like cutting edge. Meanwhile bassist Eggy Aubert easily slips back into place as if no time has passed at all. Neil Haworth (who played bass early on for the group) is the second guitarist here and together with the other 4 musicians you end up looking at a vintage act who sure as hell doesn't sound vintage here! Well, check that as a lot of this does retain their older style, which was somewhat doom while also packing in some classic rock, hard rock, some British metal and even the jazz-like influences, but it's also modern enough to kick a little ass up and down the ranks of rock and roll! The band still knows how to lay down some monster rock moments while at the same time they can easily mix in bits of melodic rock and even some progressive rock when the mood calls for it. In the end "The Dark Place" is such a good album that even I admit to being taken off guard by it! This one is going to be a must-buy for me and if you're a fan of the group then I suggest taking the same route. Are we looking at another album to be added to the year end best of as well? Maybe we are...