Tag Archives: NWOBHM

Album review : NIGHTWING – Long Hard Road 1980-85 (5 CD Boxset)

Posted on August 21, 2026 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 28.08.26] CD1 : Something In The Air (1980) CD2 : Black Summer (1982) CD3 : Stand Up And Be Counted (1983) CD4 : My Kingdom Come (1894) CD5 : Night Of Mystery – Alive! Alive! … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Cherry Red, GTR, Long Hard Road, Max Bacon, Night Wing, NWOBHM, review | Leave a comment

Album review : TOKYO BLADE – Hoist The Colours High

Posted on August 13, 2026 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 21.08.26] The unquenchable flame that is Tokyo Blade is about to release its 14th studio album in a career lasting the best part of 50 years. Hows that for durability? Hoist The Colours High is … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alan Marsh, Andy Boulton, Hoist The Colours High, NWOBHM, review, Time Is The Fire, Tokyo Blade | Leave a comment

Gig review: SAXON – Hammersmith (Eventim) Apollo, 15 November 2025

Posted on November 17, 2025 by jason

SAXON – Hammersmith Apollo, 15 November 2025

A wonderful evening of classic rock at Eventim Apollo (that’s the Hammersmith Odeon in English), and well attended it was too, having the aura of a sellout. And after Saxon vocalist Biff Byford’s recent health scare (now clear of cancer), … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Accept, Biff Byford, classic rock, Dirkschneider, gig, Hammersmith Apollo, heavy metal, metal, November 15 2025, NWOBHM, review, Saxon, Udo Dirkschneider | Leave a comment

Album review : TOKYO BLADE – Beware The Blade – Classic, Rare and Unreleased, 4 CD Boxset

Posted on November 12, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 21.11.25] A 4CD boxset of the best of Tokyo Blade’s 14 albums (and more). It’s not called a “Best Of”, but that’s what it is. CD1 : selections from Midnight Rendezvous (1984) and Night Of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Beware The Blade, boxset, Cherry Red, Fury, heavy metal, Midnight Rendezvous, Night Of The Blade, NWOBHM, review, Tokyo Blade | Leave a comment

Album review : RAVEN – Screamin’ Down The House (4 CD set)

Posted on April 22, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 25.04.25] Formed in the north of England by brothers John and Mark Gallagher, during a time of social upheaval in the UK, Raven forged their own reflective version of NWOBHM, a proto-thrash metal that found … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Reissues | Tagged Atlantic Records, Combat Records, heavy metal, John Gallagher, Mark Gallagher, Megadeath, Metallica, Motorhead, NWOBHM, RAVEN, Screamin Down The House | Leave a comment

Album review : TOKYO BLADE – Time Is The Fire

Posted on January 8, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 17.01.25] The Cherry Red reach has increased dramatically in recent years, and Tokyo Blades’ latest album, Time Is The Fire will be getting a considerable PR push around the 17/1/25 release date. True heavy metal … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Alan Marsh, album, Andy Boulton, Andy Wrighton and John Wiggins, Black Sabbath. Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, heavy metal, NWOBHM, review, Steve Pierce, Tokyo Blade | Leave a comment

Album review : KRYPTOS – Decimator

Posted on June 29, 2024 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date : 05.07.24] On their magnificent seventh album now, Indian heavy metal band, Kryptos still have their eyes on the prize. It’s always tantalisingly out of reach for most bands. Few ever get their hands on it. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged AFM Records, Decimator, heavy metal, India, Kryptos, Nolan Lewis, NWOBHM, review | Leave a comment

Album review : CHATEAUX – Spirit Of The Chateau (3 CD Reissue)

Posted on June 23, 2024 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 21.06.24] CD1: Chained And Desperate (1983) CD2: Firepower (1984) CD3: Highly Strung (1985) Led by guitarist, Tim Broughton, English metal band Chateau signed to Ebony Records, a NWOBHM startup label, in 1981. The band (previously … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Reissues | Tagged Chateaux, Firepower, Grim Reaper, Highly Strung, Krys Mason, NWOBHM, review, Spirit Of The Chateaux, Steve Grimmett, Tim Broughton | Leave a comment

Album review: DEMON – Invincible

Posted on May 11, 2024 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 17.05.24] You’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped back in time to the late 70s/early 80s, as the first half of 2024 has seen new albums from the likes of Magnum, Saxon, Judas Priest, Praying Mantis, Tygers … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Dave Hill, DEMON, hard rock, Invincible, melodic hard rock, metal, Neil Ogden, NWOBHM, review | Leave a comment

Album review: THE GRANDMASTER – Black Sun

Posted on January 5, 2024 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date: 12.01.24] For The Grandmaster’s second album, mainman, guitarist and Edguy co-founder, Jens Ludwig has recruited ex Fate vocalist, Peer Johansson. Surprisingly, given the accessibility of the material they created in previous employment, much of Black Sun … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Edguy, Fate, Jens Ludwig, NWOBHM, Peer Johansson, power metal, review, Secret Sun, Teutonic, The Grandmaster | Leave a comment

Album review: THUNDERSTICK – Lockdown

Posted on October 29, 2023 by jason

Roulette [Release date 20.10.23] Renowned Samson (and former Iron Maiden) drummer is not one to rest on his laurels, and since resurrecting his eponymous band in 2017, he’s kept rocking and entertaining. And this new album has kept the standards … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, classic rock, drummer, heavy metal, Iron Maiden, lockdown, metal, NWOBHM, review, Samson, Thunderstick | Leave a comment

Album review : OLIVER / DAWSON SAXON – Screaming Eagles – The Complete Works (6 CD boxset)

Posted on August 25, 2023 by brianmc

OLIVER DAWSON SAXON Screaming Eagles cover 200

Cherry Red [Release date: 25.08.23] CD1 : Motorbiker (studio album 2012) CD2 : ReLanded (Live 2000) CD3 : It’s Alive Pt 1 (2003) CD4 : It’s Alive pt2 (2003) CD5 : Victim You (Son Of A Bitch, pre OD studio … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged 6 CD boxset, album, Bill Byford, boxset, Graham Oliver, heavy metal, NWOBHM, old school metal, Oliver Dawson Saxon, review, Screaming Eagles - The Complete Works, Steve Dawson | Leave a comment

Album review: WEAPON – New Clear Power

Posted on May 21, 2023 by jason

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 19.05.23] There have been a few changes in the Weapon camp since their 2019 album ‘Ghosts Of War’, with original guitarist Jeff Summers leaving the band in 2021, and they can now revert to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Danny Hynes, hard rock, melodic metal, metal, New Clear Power, NWOBHM, review, Robert Majd, Steve Mann, Weapon | Leave a comment

Album review: GIRLSCHOOL – The School Report 1976-2008

Posted on January 26, 2023 by brianmc

Girlschool_HNEBOX161-min-scaled1-150x150

Cherry Red/HNE [Release date: 27.01.23] Girlschool experienced their share of heartache… label let downs, revolving door membership issues, conflicting views on musical direction and the struggles to sustain their ambitions in the face of all of the above. But they soldiered … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged 1984, album, boxset, GIRLSCHOOL, NWOBHM, punk, review, The School Report 1976-2008 | Leave a comment

Gig review: TYGERS OF PAN TANG – Black Heart, Camden, 12 November 2022

Posted on November 15, 2022 by Davoski

I sometimes struggle with this venue. Low ceilings and a low stage means poor visibility if there’s anything like a good crowd in; and often the sound is sludgy and bass heavy. So for Tygers of Pan Tang to overcome … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 12 November 2022, Black Heart, Camden, gig, heavy metal, live, NWOBHM, review, Rob Weir, Tygers Of Pan Tang | Leave a comment

Album review: RISING STEEL – Beyond The Gates Of Hell

Posted on November 6, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 18.11.22] Third album from French traditional (ish) metal band, Rising Steel, who still exist in the last century (in a good way). From their amusingly phallic name, to the way they deploy every rushing, thrashing riff that … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Annihilator, Beyond The Gates Of Hell, Black Sabbath, Diamond Head, heavy metal, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, NWOBHM, review, Rising Steel, Thrash | Leave a comment

Album review: DIAMOND HEAD – Lightning To The Nations

Posted on September 4, 2022 by jason

Silver Lining [Release date 30.09.22] Formed in the late 70s and part of the NWoBHM movement, Diamond Head epitomise the ‘Should have been huge’, ‘influential’ and ‘recognised after the event’ band. This, their debut, was originally released through their own … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Brian Tatler, classic album, Diamond Head, Lightning To The Nations, metal, NWOBHM, reissues, review, Sean Harris, Silver Lining | Leave a comment

Album review: WHITE SPIRIT – Right Or Wrong

Posted on August 16, 2022 by petefeenstra

Pete Feenstra chatted to Mal Pearson and Mick Tucker of White Spirit for his show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. First broadcast 7 August 2022. Conquest Music [Release date: 29.07.22] ‘Right Or Wrong’ is White Spirit’s first album for … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, AOR, Asia, Brian Howe, classic rock, Deep Purple, FM, Foreigner, HammerFall, Jeff Scott Soto, Journey, Lee Small, Lionheart, Mal Pearson, Mick Tucker, Neil Murray, NWOBHM, Pontus Norgren, Rainbow, review, rock, Russell Gilbrook, Steve Overland, Van Halen, White Spirit, Whitesnake | Leave a comment

Album review : TYGERS OF PAN TANG – 1985-87 (3 CD Boxset)

Posted on June 22, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red / HNE [Release date 24.06.22] Arguably there are two Tygers Of Pan Tang. This boxset features Tygers 2.0. CD1: The Wreck-age (1985) CD2: Burning In The Shade (1987) and CD3: The Wreck-age Demos and the Burning In The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 1985-87, albums, boxset, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, John Tucker, melodic hard rock, Mutt Lange, NWOBHM, review, Saxon, Steely Dan, Tygers Of Pan Tang | Leave a comment

Album review: RAVEN – Rock Until You Drop (the 4CD Over The Top Edition)

Posted on May 24, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red/Sanctuary [release date : 27.05.22] Raven, the legendary heavy metal band from England’s industrial North East, have the perfect resume. They have recorded for six different labels (and never been without one) including major and major-ish imprints like Atlantic, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged 4 CDs, albums, Atlantic Records, boxset, Brute Force, John Gallagher, John Tucker, Lead Weight, Mark Gallagher, Megadeath, Megaforce, Metallica, Motorhead, Neat Records, NWOBHM, Proto Thrash, Sasso Marconi, SPV | Leave a comment

Album review: MICK WHITE – Something’s Got To Give

Posted on May 3, 2022 by jason

Enghardt Media/The Metal Society [29.04.22] Now here’s a blast from the past. I first encountered vocalist Mick White in the late 80s when he was working with Paul Samson, and later when he fronted First Strike (that Just Another Night album … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, First Strike, hard rock, melodic rock, metal, Mick White, NWOBHM, review, Samson, Something's Got To Give | Leave a comment

Album review: SAXON – Carpe Diem

Posted on January 12, 2022 by jason

Silver Lining [Release date 04.02.22] Saxon, one of the world’s most consistent and reliable classic metal bands, a name synonymous with the New Wave Of British Heavy (NWoBHM); there were there at the start in the late 70s. Hits such … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, The Best of 2022 | Tagged album, Biff Byford, Carpe Diem, classic metal, classic rock, heavy metal, metal, NWOBHM, review, Saxon, Silver Lining | Leave a comment

Gig review: PRAYING MANTIS – Arlington Arts Centre, Snelsmore, 7 October 2021

Posted on October 8, 2021 by jason

A mere 581 days since I last attended an indoor concert – Jon Boden in Didcot back in March 2020. Since then live music as we know has been decimated with the fall out from the pandemic, however, you can’t … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 7 October 2021, Arlington Arts Centre, classic rock, Deep Purple, gig, hard rock, Led Zep, melodic hard rock, NWOBHM, NWOCR, Praying Mantis, review, Snelsmore, Vambo | Leave a comment

Album review: OVERKILL – The Atlantic Years 1986-1994

Posted on September 5, 2021 by jason

BMG [Release date 29.10.21] New Jersey band Overkill, named after the Motorhead album/song, formed in 1980 and were part of the early US thrash scene. Nineteen studio albums, three live and three EPs later, there’s quite a legacy there. There … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Reissues | Tagged Bobby Elisworth, box set, metal, NWOBHM, Overkill, review, The Atlantic Years 1986-1994, thrash metal | Leave a comment

Single reviews: CONSTANT FOLLOWER, ARCADIAN TEMPLE

Posted on September 13, 2020 by jason

CONSTANT FOLLOWER – Set Aside Some Time Sometimes, if you’re really lucky, you’ll stumble across a band that will truly make your heart swell and your life better. Constant Follower are one such band. Changing greys to multi coloured pastel … Continue reading →