A.K.A. Records 1982
I seriously questioned myself after picking this one up. I probably paid twice what it's worth (thank you Ric's Recollections), but was intrigued by a few things: a) the title grabbed me cuz of the THIN LIZZY connection, b) I'm a sucker for band photos on album covers (don't ask me why), and c) what the fuck were THE COCKNEY REJECTS thinking!?! As a kid I loved those Greatest Hits records, and still sorta regret selling 'em in order to purchase Metal records, but this is clearly not the same band. I wasn't sure if they were taking the piss, or if this was for real... 3 of the songs have Rock in the title, it's produced by Pete Way, no boots or braces anywhere in sight. Clearly the boys were influenced by the NWOBHM and it works for them. They crank out 9 tracks of pure knuckleheaded Rock, that's at times reminiscent of TANK, AC/DC, AEROSMITH, and THE KINKS even, but never shows any hint of the band's not so distant past. This ain't no "Flares And Slippers"! There's no denying it - I love this record, which means I can no longer turn my nose up at Quiet Storm or The Power And The Glory when I come across 'em in the dollar bins.
(For a good time) DOWNLOAD: CockneyRejects-TheWildOnes.rar (68.17 MB)
THE COCKNEY REJECTS • The Wild Ones LP
TANK • Crazy Horses 7"
Kamaflage Records 1982
TANK are, in my opinion, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the greatest band of the NWOBHM era. I hesitate to lump them in with the masses of NWOBHM bands, as they undoubtly transcended the limitations of the genre and the scene... that is until the Brabbs bros. left and everything went to Hell in a hand-basket, but during their early days (read: first 2 records) they were untouchable! "Crazy Horses" is an alternate version of the Osmonds' classic (?) found on TANK's sophomore outing Power Of The Hunter, and the phenomenally titled "Filth Bitch Boogie" is a non-LP b-side. These have probably been tacked onto the end of CD re-issues, but in case they haven't, here they are in their infinite glory. Hold on to your toupees!
DOWNLOAD: Tank-CrazyHorses.rar (13.31 MB)
TORCH • Torch EP
Tandan Records 1982
Good goddamn! This kicks so much ass I'm not gonna be able to sit for a week! TORCH deliver aggressive NWOBHM inspired Metal that reminds me of TYGERS OF PAN TANG a lot, and I detect a bit of PRETTY MAIDS in the mix too. 3 of the 5 tracks clock in at around 3 minutes and are short sharp shocks that don't mince notes or words. TORCH don't fuck around. Their purpose is clear: kick the shit outta the listener with high-octane Metal, and leave 'em wanting more. Metal the way it's meant to be played I tells you.
DOWNLOAD: Torch-TorchEP.rar (32.41 MB)
PS: This guy has some sick live TORCH videos from '85.
NIGHTWING • Black Summer LP
Intercord Records 1982
My only prior exposure to NIGHTWING was the printed inner sleeves that came with LPs, and were used to advertise other releases on a particular label (in Canada this was a practice commonly employed by Banzai and Attic Records). So I've seen a whole bunch of NIGHTWING album covers (which are awesome as you can see), but had never heard a note 'til today. Album opener "Overnight Sensation" is a high-octane rocker with some tastefully sporadic keyboards, which is what NIGHTWING do best. Some songs meander into yer typical 70's Rock territory and can become predictable, not unlike Canadian commercial rockers TRIUMPH (especially the guitar playing). The keyboards in "Long Hard Road" kinda remind me of ZOMBI - and that can only be a good thing! Black Summer is a cool mix of 70's Rock and moderate Prog that (for me) is a welcome change of pace... and bassist/vocalist Gordon Bowley looks like an even more maniacal Dave Chandler - a definite selling point!
DOWNLOAD: Nightwing-BlackSummer.rar (76.86 MB)
PS: Listen for the spectacularly jazzy, subtle guitar solo near the end of "Don't Want To Lose You" - awesome!
HOLLAND HEAVY METAL Vol. 1 LP
Headbang Records 1982
I picked up this little curiosity on my last trip to Ric's Collectibles. It features 2 Dutch bands recorded live in Brouwershoeck... which I'm assuming is somewhere in the Netherlands. First up is SAD IRON who deliver 5 tracks of simplistic MOTORHEAD influenced NWOBHM style Metal. They remind me a lot of their Belgian neighbours ACID - basic, no frills pre-thrash, that's punkish in it's simplicity. "Get Out, Get Off" has a kinda WITCHFINDER GENERAL vibe... it's not particularly doomy, but the the vocals have a Zeeb Parkes quality to 'em, and the band's just as sloppy. Side 2 contains 5 tracks by a band called SEDUCER, and to call them Metal is to stretch the definition. They're more of a bluesy hard rock outfit, with southern rock leanings. Since I don't know anything about southern rock, I can't make a direct comparison, but it sounds like the kinda shit you'd hear on classic rock radio... MOLLY HATCHET maybe. Compared to SAD IRON, SEDUCER come across as a more professional and polished band, but their style of generic hard rock isn't really my thing. They also benefit from a fuller sound cuz they have 2 guitar players. Amateurish as they may be, I prefer the SAD IRON tracks here, and am intrigued enough to search out their 2 full lengths.
DOWNLOAD: Holland Heavy Metal Vol 1.rar (80.73 MB)
