Album review: BLAZE BAYLEY – War Within Me

Blaze Bayley Recording [Release date 09.04.21]

If you like your rock of the metal variety you are in for a treat – this is a blistering, classic metal album in the making. The guitar work is simply put superb – exquisite riffs throughout the tracks and the power of Blaze’s vocals are the perfect accompaniment.

Get ready to turn this up loud!

Blaze Bayley has a respectable rock pedigree, fronting Iron Maiden 1994-1999 and Wolfsblane since, he’s been solo since 2000 and this is his 11th studio release, following on from the ‘Entanglement Trilogy’ released 2016-2018

In Blaze’s own words… “This is an album that I want to put on and feel very positive about. Whatever song you choose there’s some good feeling about it. As fans of metal music we tend to be damaged, strange and different in some way and this album is about taking your future in your own hand.”

‘War Within Me’ was recorded during 2020, coping with the challenges of a global pandemic by splitting the work between Blaze’s studio in the West Midlands and Christopher Appleton’s studio in Greater Manchester. The line-up chosen to play on the album are from British metal band Absolva – Christopher Appleton (guitar, backing vocals), Martin McNee (drums), Karl Schramm (bass).

The album delivers 10 tracks with 3 tracks paying respect to people, Blaze clearly has looked up to and being inspired by – ‘The Dream of Alan Turing’, the Father of theoretical computer science and AI (artificial intelligence), ‘The Power of Nikola Tesla’ (electrical and mechanical engineer best known for his contribution to the design of the modern alternating current electricity supply) and ‘The Unstoppable Stephen Hawking’, the renowned theoretical physicist “Hawking defied them”, “Unstoppable – Don’t believe in what they tell you, you can decide how you live”

“you have strength within, and they don’t want you to find it, you can decide how you live”

I think that will resonate with many of us after a year of lockdowns and isolation, we have all had to dig deep and music has been a real lifeline in these strange times – you can appreciate perhaps more than ever before, how others may feel when our world is ‘normal’.

My pick of the tracks – ‘Flights’ -where Blaze refers to life on the road and travelling, ‘Witches Night’ which is theatrical and you’d be forgiven for thinking this could be Iron Maiden, as Blaze pays homage to his metal roots and a craft well learnt.

For any metal heads, this is a must listen to release – let’s hope Blaze is back on the road soon as this needs to be showcased live! ****

Review by Karen Clayton

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Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)