NWOBHM

Tank – Sturmpanzer Review

Tank – Sturmpanzer Review

By Huck N Roll on November 13, 2018 in 2018, British Metal, Dissonance Productions, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 80 comments

“Sometimes we get what we want, and sometimes we get what we deserve. Here I am, trudging towards the end of the year, relying on headmistress Madam X to dole out the review rewards and punishments as she sees fit – except for this week. This week, she forgot about little old me, and what did I see lurking in the promo bin? Tank. How did Steel Druhm, my cohort in late-middle-age, not grab this? Both of us remember the original Tank from way back in the early 80s, with their punk/proto take on the whole NWOBHM movement briefly endearing them to many.” Tanked.

Stormwitch – Bound to the Witch Review

Stormwitch – Bound to the Witch Review

By Steel Druhm on June 27, 2018 in 2018, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Massacre Records, NWOBHM, Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 75 comments

“Stormwitch is the Captain America of metal music: Perpetually out of sync with the times and what’s going on around them. Heavily influenced by the NWoBHM, they released their Walpurgis Night debut in 1984 just as the style was on the wane. They switched to a more commercial style on albums like 1986s Stronger Than Heaven as the thrash explosion engulfed the world. By 1989 they were dabbling in cheesy, ballad-heavy Euro-power as extreme metal was growing in popularity and the whole scene was on the brink of near annihilation by the Seattle grunge movement. Long story short: Stormwitch put out 10 albums at the wrong time and never broke it big.” Witches, man…

Trespass – Footprints in the Rock Review

Trespass – Footprints in the Rock Review

By Dr. Wvrm on January 21, 2018 in 2018, British Metal, Heavy Metal, Mighty Music, NWOBHM, Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 11 comments

“Dad metal is a bit of a specialty here at AMG Inc., and Trespass certainly have the “dad” part down. The OG NWOBHM act cut their teeth in the ’70s alongside Iron Maiden and counted Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield among their early fans. But for a band approaching its 40th birthday, their metal resume needs some work. Footprints in the Rock marks only the third official LP of a lengthy career that, until now, has issued more compilation CDs than actual albums.” Rock in an old place.

Ram – Rod Review

Ram – Rod Review

By Huck N Roll on November 8, 2017 in 2017, Heavy Metal, Metal Blade, NWOBHM, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 39 comments

“Back into the depths of traditional, olde-school, cheesy metal we delve, my friends, and what do we encounter but more Swedish goodness in the form of Ram, and their latest album, Rod. The band haven’t let the fact that their logo is perennially in the running for Worst in All of Metal slow them down: Rod is their fifth album over the last fifteen years, making these guys almost as old as the music they love to play.” If the rod don’t fit, Ram it!

Rabid Bitch of the North – Nothing but a Bitter Taste Review

Rabid Bitch of the North – Nothing but a Bitter Taste Review

By Huck N Roll on August 21, 2017 in 2017, Heavy Metal, Hostile Media, Irish Metal, NWOBHM, Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 46 comments

“Come on, with a name like that can you blame me for grabbing this band’s album? It’s the equivalent of promotional clickbait. Crazy band name, goofy album title, and even goofier band picture, all topped off with the fact that the band consider themselves purveyors of the NWOBHM (despite the fact that this is really their debut album). It all adds up to something that, if Steel wasn’t already double-dipping this week in the review pool, he would have grabbed for sure. Which means I get his sloppy seconds.” The bitter taste of rabies.

Venomous Maximus – No Warning Review

Venomous Maximus – No Warning Review

By Huck N Roll on August 2, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Occult Rock, Reviews, Shadow Kingdom Records, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Occult Rock, 25 comments

“Venomous Maximus try their darndest to move past the “occult” label and appeal more generally to the metal masses. Like their records before it, No Warning is an attempt to appease fans of both the sinister and the catchy. In other words, they seem to be striving for ownership of the same plot of land Ghost lay claim to. Stealing the ghost.

Walpyrgus – Walpyrgus Nights Review

Walpyrgus – Walpyrgus Nights Review

By Steel Druhm on June 6, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Cruz Del Sur, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 25 comments

“‘Super groups’ aren’t all of Pulsar Class wattage. In truth they fall all over the spectrum from truly famous assemblages to largely unknown folks from somewhat established bands. Walpyrgus hovers closer to the latter pole, being composed of members of Twisted Tower Dire, While Heaven Wept and Daylight Dies. This may not be the most recognizable collection of musician, but what they do, they do surprisingly well, namely rocking early 80s NWoBHM in all its ear-wormy, guitar-driven glory.” I am the Walpyrgus.

Summoner – Beyond the Realm of Light Review

Summoner – Beyond the Realm of Light Review

By Huck N Roll on May 13, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Magnetic Eye Records, Reviews, Sludge, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Sludge, 11 comments

“When Boston’s Summoner came into being back in 2009, they were originally known as Riff Cannon. Made up of members of black metal bands Plagues and Deafheaven, Summoner is clearly a vehicle for these fellas to shed their black metal overcoats and give some love to the Baroness/Kylesa/Torche side of the bill.” Black does sludge.