The Cage

NWOBHM. 4th album from the Tygers of Pan Tang. This one is the most melodic and the most accesible to my taste. But full of great songs. The cover Love potion nº 9 is a quite funny story and brilliantly done. The other two songs that make the record for me are Paris by air and Danger in paradise.

the only way i'll wever see the world
is if i can find a rich daddy's girl
use my body to twist her mind
steal her money and leave her behind

John Sykes stayed for the 2 previuos records but left for this one, although you can still hear some solos from him.

8/10 great to have

Vox in excelso

Any saracen record is at least a very good one. Main guitar player composer Rob Bendelow and the strong Steve Bettney vocals are always awesome for me..
Can they top Heroes, sains and fools?... maybe one day.. Vox in excelso is a concept opus and although songs are independent they sing a story (of the templar knights). Some parts are spoken and that may lose some fans, but ... It is original, and in my opinion is nearly as good as Red sky.
Best song for me is title track and the rendition from meet me at midnight, but the whole record is a great one.

9/10 nice to have

A time of changes

I really need to dig in carefully within these two. First time of changes was the record who make their print in NWOBHM.

Second record (phase I) is a nicest 2CD compilation.

Blitzkrieg is the name of the song, same of the band which represents typical HM NWOBHM feeling.

You can say the same with Holocaust's HM Mania, DH's Helpless, PM Cheated, Grim Reaper's See you in Hell, Witchfynde's Give 'em Hell, Angel Witch's Angel Witch ... songs with attitude ... and as long the attitude's in there, and as well songwriting skills you have these immortal ones (free radio of course :-) )

Still to make a proper listening...

8/10 great to have

Smokin Valves

This compilation is somewhat similar to Trespass. 2cd, plenty of good music.
Nearly all Nightcomers record is in there, the debut record and the one which game them fame, basically by the anthem Heavy metal mania. This song is just awesome. Nightcomers, death or glory, smokin valves ... good songs but not as intense as hm mania.

It includes another hit they make them famous, the small hours, which was covered by metallica, so years after, they covered Metallica's Master of puppets. :-)

Once they changed the name to Hologram -for one record-, maintaining the same kind of logo.
total are 26 songs, with a great booklet too. Indispensable for NWOBHM fans. So underrated ...

8/10 great to have. NWOBHM indispensable

one of these days

one of these days is a great compilation from different recordings from one band which despite not being lucky, had a great potential.

one of these days and stormchild are songs in which can be appreciated the words i just have said.. This 2cd compilation has several recordings from the songs, for example it has 3 different versions from one of these days, and b-sides, and different recordings. you can not complain when a 2cd record has 33 songs, from different recordings, and a 12-pages booklet with photos and interesting facts :-)

the booklet explains a bit the story so it is ok. if lyrics would have also been there i could not have asked for more
visionary is another favourite from mine.

8/10 great to have, for nwobhm fans

to heaven from hell, behold the beginning ...

these are compilations from diamond head.mainly they got remixes of the songs and they have been very popular in the stores due it is extremely difficult to find the originals.

for instance, borrowed time and canterbury are only japanese versions, however lightning to the nations has come out with several reissues, including these compilations.

to heaven from hell, am i evil, behold the beginning, are not special really nice collections with great booklets, photos, lyrics ... but at least decent ones. they are very recommended if you can not find the originals, though i would try it.

why i bought them? well, because there was a time i wanted to have everything about this band, and being their records so hard to find (my first one was behold the beginning), i had to live with what i had :-)

thanks to god, internet, ebay came to save us :-D

10/10 each compilation is worth your money, but am i evil (the anthology) is the best one

stand or fall

this record actually deceived me, since i was expecting more ... it is not a bad record but i prefer the old ones.
i mean, i find it nothing special, that is what attracts me most from this kind of music, the melody, the haunting rythm, and of course, the feelin'.
maybe i should give it another oportunity, but after 3 or 4 listenings, i was sad to find nothing special ... no feelin'

5/10 just average, not what i was expecting from.

no way out

this one really should show a more mature side of the band, i have heard also that more melodic, but i do not agree.
it is a good record, but does not match the debut album
it is heavy rock from the ealier 80s.

truth be told is i still need a closer listening to this one.

7/10 for nwobhm fans only

end of the world

this is the first record from gaskin. it belongs to the nwobhm, though i would classify it not as metal but as heavy rock. however i believe it deserves this place in the nwobhm.
the best songs are sweet dream maker, the end of the world, despiser, victim of the city and handful of dreams. special mention to handful of reasons too.
this is a great collectible, and i've seen it in ebay even for 60$. the version i have is a double record metal collection series 2x1. though i miss the lyrics, the reedition is not bad


8/10 for nwobhm fans mainly

high'n dry

strange cover, but that was the group wanted when signed by hipgnosis. anyway, def leppard's here influenced totally by ac/dc ... maybe it had something to do the previous gig they did as supporters ;-)
the stuff here is awesome. i mean, all the songs are heavy, with great riffs, melodic and you can go rnr... just one ballad, a great power-ballad, and it is great too. a small instrumental switch 625 with is great too. no fillers. 0% fillers. this is really difficult to get matched. this is probably my favourite lepp record.
I guess the group was beginning to get its own musical identity.

The songs are: Let it Go, Another Hit and Run, High 'N' Dry (Saturday Night), Bringin' on the Heartbreak, Switch 625,You Got Me Runnin', Lady Strange, On Through the Night, Mirror, Mirror, No No No and as bonus a remix of Bringin' on the Heartbreak and Me & My Wine.

10/10 timeless classic

Metal Crusade 99

This one was to celebrate the 20th anniversary of some of the best groups of NWOBHM.

Praying Mantis
Tank
Trespass
Samson

It is a live record, japanese one, of course, who are the countries who has always supported this kind of music, and make them feel as the real rock stars they are ?

Praying mantis offer a set list based in the timeless time tells no lies.
Trespass set includes the 2 great songs: one of these days and stormchild. Though I liked very much Visionary Dreams.
Tank and Samson are still a bit unknown to me, musically speaking, i need to heard them a bit more. But This Means War is included.

8/10 indispensable for nwobmh fans

Captured Alive in Tokyo City

This is Praying Mantis official live album from 96.
It was not easy to get this one since it is a 2cd limited japanese edition, and it is a nice one since it comes in a slip case with several booklets and cards.
It also was released in dvd, but in this one the content is cut. At least it has 6 bonus videos, including borderline, can't see the angels, only the children cry, letting go, this time girl. These ones justify the dvd alone. And it was even harder to get than the 2cd.

Well, let's go to the music. The singer is Gary Barden. I really think he did not fit (his voice) very well in Mantis legacy, and probably To the power of ten is the worst Mantis record. And this live record is based on TTPOT tour, so ...
Anyway, the majority of the songs here are great. Victory, Cry for the new world, Can't see the angels, Only the children cry, Welcome to my hollywood, turn the tables, Cheated, Letting go, Lovers to the grave ... and Captured city.
Just seeing that the tour recorded would have been from the following record ... That would have been incredible.
Anyway, anyhow, it is a nice package.

10/10 for the video, mantis fans only.

8/10 for the record, again mantis/nwobhm fans only.

A sultan's ransom

... Once i've read this was the finest record in hm ever. Something as absolute timeless except the stupid cover. I agree for the cover, and the quality of what is behind is quite good. It is real good. Not the finest, but good enough.
One of the pearls of nwobhm? well, maybe i would find the self titled debut album more shining, but i really can't deny that this is good enough.
The version i have is a bootleg -try to get the original!!, and advise where- , but nicely packaged with 4 bonus songs and lyrics, but it really lacks great sound inside. Shame! Made by the fans, maybe?
Anyway for the songs i really find outstanding: 1001 nights, forgotten heroes, astral riders and mistress of the forest. The last one, really nice intro. And also it is a record you can listen from begin to end wihtout disliking very much any song.
The imagery is not the same as the first record, even it only last lee payne from original Cloven Hoof line up, and the sound it is clearly not the same but the metal spirit lives on, the music is good and this is what it worthes.

9/10 for nwobhm fans mainly and also heavy metal ones :)

Am i evil? The anthology

Diamond Head is a band i know thanks to the am i evil? song that Metallica -credit to them, they deserve it- have sworn to play it at every gig. and when I heard the original one, I said, listen this is not a good voice but a great one. Sean Harris.
Sucking my love became instantly favorite, despite its 9 minute long, this song is just incredible, a real sonic orgasm ;-) . Great and intense solos. Brian Tatler.
Helpless was another song Metallica used to cover. And I could talk and talk about the songs of my beloved band and I would not be fair or partial, 'cos I love them.
Borrowed Time brought them less raw and more maturity, the songs became maybe more complex. Listen to In the heat of the night solo, it is one of the best ever. Canterbury was one of the first epic records, and as i read it was light years ahead its time. Ishmael, to the devil its due ... Sadly it does not have master track Canterbury. Did it had love songs too? One more night, well, it is not necessary to talk always about drugs, death and whatever all the time!

Led Zeppelin successors?. Absolutely yes. They were creative, innovators and made not good music, but some of the best I can hear anywhere anyhow. They did what they wanted, with no compromise attitude. Sadly the band was poorly managed, so poorly ... And a good manager made some groups to reach stardom in an easier way, and when money is welcomed ... Well, it is true, in other cases, money leads you to destruction, but it is mainly your fault if you are not able to manage your success, I would say you sadly deserve it, I won't name any, but surely you can bring to your mind 2 clear examples ... :-S

Well, this is an anthology of my favourite group.

28 songs, makes a good route around DH career.
Good booklet. 16 pages, with photos & comments from various reporters.
It does not contain the lyrics, as most of them -except if they are japanese - with a nice slipcase.

Just bought it for pleasure since I had all the songs except the acoustic ones, the Acoustic EP.
I had many opportunities to buy it in ebay for a fixed price, and even i have enough DH collections i did not want to buy it. why? i just heard such was my love instead of sucking my love, and can't blame the group but i did not want to keep that one in memory so I just forgot it ;-)

10/10 am i evil? yes i am :-D

Predator in disguise

I remember buying this record, as it was yesterday... Why? It was friday, after my first work week. And this record was my first gift i made myself for my first job.
Can't see the angels is a great melodic anthem to begin with. a classic. she's hot, i do not like it, and can't wait forever is somehow weak... but then it comes this time girl, and the great time slipping away. 2 great rock songs which will give way to a real nice ballad, listen what your heart says. this ballad got me haunted for some time. i found it really fantastic and beautiful.
still want you and the instrumental the horn are good enough, and then we will finish with 2 more gems: battle royal and borderline. you can guess their theme.
i read in an interview with chris troy that one main theme that is always present in mantis is death. no matter is love, no matter is death, no matter is whatever, as long as the songs are good, no matter what. and praying mantis signature for me is always i can trust at.

it is a solid record, not super-rocker, not extra-softer, but something in-between. great hard rock

9/10 great to have

Best of Witchfynde

Witchfynde. Find the witch? Satanic messages going backwards?? :-D :-D :-D

Another interesting group from nwobhm. Did a first record give 'em hell and was a classic. Try to find it 2 years ago, japanese versions in ebay left you the pocket out of money! The reissue, from this year was more economic. But i had before the best of, a safe collection in which, lyrics did not appear and the booklet was not the nicest you've ever seen ... but 16 songs were the deal.
6 songs out of 7 from give'em hell, in which leaving nadir and give'em hell were the standout tracks. I read in a review that one guy thought Nadir was the name of a girl ;-P, well that was funny ...
Moon magic was a bit commercial, come'on! I can't stand this sh*t ever! if a song may become popular, some people say it is commercial, instead of how good could it be the riff that you can like it instantly. It is one of those songs you can not stop listening, hypnothic. In the stars, stage fright -which gave title to the second record, even more complicated to found than the first one ... :-S -
The third record Cloack and dagger is represented by its title track too, I'd rather go wild, cry wolf, devil's playground...

It is a more than average good heavy metal from early eighties.

8/10 indispensable NWOBHM

The night of the blade

I bet these ones are almost unknown for you. Their name is Tokyo Blade, and i classify them into the samurais ... sorry, nwobhm :-D.

They are interesting, thanks again to internet, or i would not have known them

Heard one song from them: dead of the night, and i become interested in. Intense ballad, full of cries and heavy guitars
heard the warrior of the rising sun, and love them. great and intense melody. Had to get that record, so went on ebay, watch ... watch ... watch ... and finally caught it! 8 songs plus 8 bonus.

Heavy metal from the 80s, when heavy metal was bourning (born & burning), pure and raw, shouts & cries straight from the heart, and good damn melodies! Why did they fail? Did they fail? Well, if they wanted to be famous, maybe yes, if they wanted to make good music and satisfy themseleves, for sure that they did not!!

By the way, it is not easy to find this one. however there is a version a bit less known in which is named the night of the blade before, in which it is featuring the same songs but with the last singer, Alan Marsh, instead the new ones with Vic Wright.

8/10 indispensable if into nwobhm.

The number of the Beast

If youre feeling down depressed and lonely
I know a place where we can go
22 acacia avenue
meet a lady that I know
So if youre looking for a good time
And youre prepared to pay the price
15 quid is all she asks for
Everybodys got their vice

These verses seduced me since i found them exciting, with the powerful rythm: 22 Accacia Avenue.

Another song for history, hard to believe this was concoted from a 14-years old boy ... what was he thinking of ? ;-)
Hallowed by thy name, probably the best song of the whole record, and mandatory in any concert... Am i wrong?

The number of the beast, run to the hills, are good songs, the rest i really find them a bit weak, so my punctuation will bring Maiden die-hard not to love me very much indeed. Sorry, i have to be honest, and thought i think Maiden is a great group, and has terrible powerful songs, i am not deeply into them. However i appreciate them, and i bought this one.

I have the enhanced version with grey colour instead of the blue one. this is how the band liked it. Why the hell discog. could not respect it?

Yes, and at last i embraced Maiden. It is not still my favourite music, but i do recognise lots of good songs: the trooper, fear of the dark, kill me ce soir, hallowed by thy name, strange world, iron maiden, dance of death...

8/10 deserves a place in your discography. Classic (despite not being into maiden)

re-thought ...

9/10 great to have. Classic status.

Borrowed Time

2nd record from the trilogy from Diamond Head. only 5 new songs... :-(
Am i evil? and Lightning to the nations, again since they were already in their debut record... why? i would never understand it...
anyway 5 new songs:
Borrowed time, In the heat of the night ... I would said metallic roccoco style ... The final solo of in the end of heat of the night is truly memorable... And i saw it live!!! -last year, supporting Megadeth-
Call me, love song, that was the flirting with radio commercial songs ... Who cares! Pretty good. DH signature. Enough said
To heaven from hell, suggestive title ... More into nwobhm rythm than melody, great song anyway.
Don't you ever leave me ... this song i liked most the first time i heard it, it is a lament-like song, it is very good, but probably has become less favorite ... Damned good anyway.

The lyrics seem to get you into a 'lord of the rings'/sci-fi/magic world, ... I would like to have them commented by the authors...

But love deceived me, and in my despair
I recalled the ring once again
Born of Sorrow my cunning revives me,
And I took them with me enchained

On scorched earth return me to be a simple man
I am destined by the gods to walk this land

Lonely moor, sky is grey
Moon acroos the waves
See the steely shafts of light reflect across the bay
Towards the tower

of course, beyond any classification

cloven hoof

cloven hoof is interesting. satanic metal? well, call it black metal, but it belongs to the nwobhm
come'on. i remember an interview with kiss, in which paul stanley said that they were accused of being satanic and that kiss stood for knights or kids in satanic service... well, he said something that what frightened him more was, not to say that kiss was satanic, but that someone could believe that kiss was satanic... of course kiss and cloven hoof have little in common, except that they are able to do great music... :)
yes, the lyrics are somewhat dark mystical and you can call them black metal, and you can call stryper white metal ... what the hell! we're all in the same side.

aggresive style, straight from nwobhm

cloven hoof, the gates of gehenna, nightstalker, march of the damned, laying down the law, return of the passover. i certainly have not paid much attention to the lyrics but the music is good, "damned" good if you prefer!

9/10 indispensable, if you're into nwobhm