Album review: STORMTROOPER – Pride Before A Fall (The Lost Album)

STORMTROOPER – Pride Before A Fall (The Lost Album)

Bristol Archive Records [Release date 19.08.16]

This album dates back to the glory days of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal when so many great rock bands emerged on the UK scene. Some went on to worldwide fame and fortune whilst others had their fifteen minutes of fame before returning to the day job.

Bristol based Stormtrooper were one of the latter, they released the title track of this album as a single which did well in the ‘Sounds’ chart (for those old enough to remember Sounds, I know I am!) but the album was shelved. Fast forward thirty odd years and the album is finally getting a release and rather good it is too.

Opening with that early single ‘Pride Before A Fall’ it is clear that the band were heavily influenced by early Rush albums, as a Rush fan I found this to be no bad thing. The urgency of ‘Pride’ reminds me of ‘In The Mood’ and with the Moog synth parping away the sound isn’t far off either. Vocalist Paul Merrell also sounds uncannily like a young Geddy Lee, his range is not quite so high though thankfully.

The real tour de force on the album is the second track ‘Battle Of The Eve’. Clocking in at over 11 minutes the song twists and turns with some fantastic playing from the guys. Even more impressive when you know it was recorded in one take live in the studio!

It takes a good group of musicians to emulate the Rush sound but the Stormtrooper guys do it with ease. Bob Starling on guitar, Colin Bond on bass and Nick Hancox  on drums do a sterling job, the fact that they didn’t get far career wise speaks volumes of the talent which was about in rock at that time. Only Colin Bond went on to have a musical career playing with Meatloaf amongst others.

Other highlights include ‘Still Comin’ Home’ and ‘Drunken Women’ both of which are uptempo prog rock songs of the highest calibre. The final track ’After Battle’ rounds the album off nicely, this, coupled with the earlier ‘Battle Of The Eve’, is Stormtrooper’s ‘2112’, not a comparison I use lightly.

The fact that this album has taken so long to surface is baffling as it is an accomplished piece of work with great playing throughout. Perhaps it was too soon after the punk era for this type of music to reassert itself at the time but now, hopefully, it will get the recognition it deserves.

It may sound a bit dated and of its time but nostalgia is a big seller at the moment and with the recent demise of Rush as a functioning unit perhaps Stormtrooper can help fill the gap for those in need of a prog rock fix.  ****

Review by Dave Wilson  


Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

Latest session: Sunday 25 February
Next session: Sunday 14 April

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio



David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 25 February 2024.


UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 27 February 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com


Power Plays w/c 4 March 2024

COLLATERAL Glass Sky (Big Shot Records)
THE ZUTONS Pauline (ICEPOP)
THE GEORGIA THUNDERBOLTS Rise Above It All (Mascot)
MATT PEARCE & THE MUTINY From Here To The Moon (indie)
THE BLACK VULTURES Never Say (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 4 March 2024

09:00-12:00 LEE AARON Tattoo Me (Metalville)
12:00-13:00 THE END MACHINE The Quantum Phase (Frontiers)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023


To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account



Popular (last 10 days)


This entry was posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply