Tag Archives: NWOBHM

Album review : KRYPTOS – Decimator

KRYPTOS Decimator Cover 150

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 , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

CHATEAUX 150

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 , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: DEMON – Invincible

DEMON - Invincible

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 , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: THE GRANDMASTER – Black Sun

The Grandmaster Black sun 150

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 , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: THUNDERSTICK – Lockdown

THUNDERSTICK - Lockdown

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 , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

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 , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: WEAPON – New Clear Power

WEAPON - New Clear Power

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 , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: GIRLSCHOOL – The School Report 1976-2008

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 , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Tygers of Pan Tang 2022

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 , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: RISING STEEL – Beyond The Gates Of Hell

rising steel beyond

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 , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: DIAMOND HEAD – Lightning To The Nations

DIAMOND HEAD - Lightning To The Nations

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 , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: WHITE SPIRIT – Right Or Wrong

WhitE Spirit - Right Or Wrong

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

TYGERS OF PAN TANG - 1985-1987

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

raven___rock_until_y_d0gjZ-720x720

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

MICK WHITE - Something's Got To Give

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 , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: SAXON – Carpe Diem

SAXON - Carpe Diem

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 , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

pm4

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: OVERKILL – The Atlantic Years 1986-1994

OVERKILL - The Atlantic Years 1986-1994

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 , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Single reviews: CONSTANT FOLLOWER, ARCADIAN TEMPLE

CONSTANT FOLLOWER - Set Aside Some Time

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

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: RAVEN – Metal City

RAVEN - Metal City

SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 18.09.20] Athletic Rock legends Raven, long associated with the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, issue their new album (their fourteenth) and what a blistering revelation it is too. While 2015’s Extermination was universally well received, a … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: THUNDERSTICK – Something Wicked This Way Came, Live In France

THUNDERSTICK – Something Wicked This Way Came, Live In France

Indie [Release date 20.03.20] Thunderstick the man is a drummer who, having already played with Iron Maiden in their early daze, made his name replacing Clive Burr in Samson. As the masked and caged mad man, and a bloody good … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions, Interviews/Rock Stars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to DEMON

Demon - 2016

Jason Ritchie highlights the recording history of NWOBHM band Demon Formed in Stoke back in the NWOBHM the band initially lived up to their name with singer Dave Hill rising up from coffins on stage, along with lots of devil references … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: RAGE – Wings Of Rage

RAGE - Wings Of Rage

SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 10.01.20] Every family has a black sheep. That one relative who never gets invited to Christmas lunch. Rage are that family member, the unhinged uncle who is usually locked in an attic or roaming around the woods. … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: BIFF BYFORD – School Of Hard Knocks

BIFF BYFORD - School Of Hard Knocks

Silver Lining Music [Release date 21.02.20] One of British heavy metal’s finest icons, vocalist (and occasional bassist) Biff Byford has fronted Saxon since the mid 70s, when they were called Son Of A Bitch. And after talk of a solo … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: WEAPON UK – Ghosts Of War

WEAPON UK - Ghosts Of War

Pure Steel Records [Release date 27.09.19] Weapon first came onto the scene back in 1980 during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal boom. The current line-up sees original duo – vocalist Danny Hynes and guitarist Jeff Summers – joined … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment