UNTER DEN LINDEN [???] (UK) - Demo (private, 1982)

RATING: 6/10

Ok, guys and girls, I'll be keeping an open mind on this one until someone who was actually there can help us to clear the blanks once and for all. I have received furtive indications of a mysterious demo from Unter Den Linden since I first got serious on NWOBHM research, back in the early 2000's - and the fact that it was supposed to have featured the vocals of none other than Brian Ross made the whole thing way more intriguing, to say the least. I mean, the same guy from Blitzkrieg and Satan? How? Well, as our collective knowledge of the period grew stronger, the truth of the matter became (a little bit) clearer, and now there's zero doubt that not only good Mr. Ross was indeed there, but that it also recruited future NWOBHM stalwarts Mick Moore and Gary Young for a short while, Unter Den Linden being basically the starting line for the project that would later be known as Avenger. Yeah, all this while recording the completely unrelated "Wings of Night" and "Man at the Bottom" songs for the well-regarded "Roxcalibur" compilation in 1982!

Yeah, I know. Quite confusing, right? Well, I won't pretend to know all the facts in minute detail, but I guess at least some clarification can be made around here, until someone close to the matter can finally educate us all for good. Whatever the case, my current answer to the question I know you're all asking (is this an Unter Den Linden demo after all?) will have to be an honest, but somewhat frustrating "it COULD be, and I think it is, but I just don't know for sure".

Unter Den Linden (named, quite bizarrely, after a boulevard in Berlin) were originally formed in Newcastle Upon Tyne, most probably in the first half of 1981, and centered around brothers Bill (B) and Malcolm Midwood (G). The duo, augmented by Kelly Scott (V) and the aptly German-sounding drummer Dieter Roth (D), recorded the aforementioned tracks for "Roxcalibur", released by Guardian in the very early months of 1982 - two pretty decent songs that doesn't fare bad at all IMO in a mostly very good metal compilation. I can't make a firm statement on whether this 4-piece recorded any further songs or not, though I'm strongly inclined to believe they never did, as "Man at the Bottom" and "Wings of Night" are known to have been laid down on tape for the exclusive purposes of the LP, and credible mentions to any prior activities by them are close to zero, as long as I could find at least (this including virtually non-existant references to any gigs, before or ever since). Whatever the case, this line-up seemingly fell apart not long after "Roxcalibur" hit the shops, with all members quickly dispersing (and never reappearing in any other metal bands, I'm afraid) and only Malcolm Midwood opting to soldier on.

Here is where the story takes a strange turn. I'm not really sure how they all got together, but it seems that Brian Ross (V) and Mick Moore (B) were trying to get a new act together after the untimely original demise of Blitzkrieg, and somehow they crossed paths with Midwood, agreeing to work alongside him to get a revamped version of Unter Den Linden off of the ground (why they would insist to adopt such an uninteresting band name is beyond me, though). It probably didn't took them much time to recruit a very young (no pun intended) Gary Young (D, and then only 16-years old), and soon a functional line-up were working on new songs. It was all short lived, though, and soon the Ross-Moore-Young trio opted to move away from the whole enterprise, forming a new venture under the Avenger guise and taking away with them many of the songs written in the interim. Only those who have been there would be able to tell for sure what happened, but I was once told (by a pretty respectable, though far from infallible, source) that the falling out happened because Midwood refused to add another guitarist to beef up the band's sound, all such sugestions by his colleagues being flatly dismissed by the axeman. 

The 5-track tape that has been doing the rounds for a few decades now (taken from a recording session that definitely comes from 1982) have been described as both a Unter Den Linden or Avenger recording, and there's no particular grounds to make a firm decision either way as yet, though I have the strong impression this is a Unter Den Linden demo after all. Two tracks that would soon be used by Avenger ("Hot 'n' Heavy Express" and "Too Wild to Tame") are here featured in nearly identical arrangements, alongside "Space Traveller" (a leftover from Blitzkrieg's early days) and raw, still formative versions of "Hunt You Down" (later to be used by Satan) and "Love's Too Late" (that found its definitive recording in Blitzkrieg's "The Mists of Avalon" CD). The repertoire makes a lot of sense as an Avenger offering, that's for sure, and the lack of songs that would undoubtedly belong to a different band is a bit suspicious, but I have a number of reasons to believe this one came from Unter Den Linden anyway. 

There's no evidence that Avenger have ever played "Space Traveller" live, for instance, and though a demo version of "Love's Too Late" (dated as from 1982) do appear as a bonus in a few reissues of their "Blood Sports" LP, it's undoubtedly a different cut from the one here featured, with significant differences on both guitar arrangements and vocal delivery. The exact same thing happens with "Hunt You Down", with a definitely different demo (also dating from 1982) appearing as a bonus on Avenger's "Steel on Steel" compilation from 2024. I personally don't believe Avenger would record two different demo sessions with the exact same songs in the space of mere months, unless they were trying such songs with a different guitarist (original Avenger axeman Steve Bird, if my guessing is correct). Besides, the fact that no songs from this mysterious demo were ever reissued either for Avenger or Blitzkrieg (both known for making extensive use of archive material throughout their discography) is something of a giveaway that none of the bands have the full rights on this particular recording, which comes as strong indication of a Unter Den Linden origin. 

There's not much reason to delve too deep on the demo's contents, as most songs are common knowledge for everyone that follows the fortunes of Avenger and/or Brian Ross. "Hunt You Down" comes without the memorable, gang-shouting chorus that makes the final version on Satan's "Court in the Act" so enjoyable (and I guess it justifies Russ Tippins, that had no connection with this demo whatsoever, receiving songwriting credits on Satan's LP), whereas "Love's Too Late" have a markedly different vocal melody from the rendition on "The Mists of Avalon", though the instrumental arrangements are mostly the same. "Space Traveller" is a decent song, but was never too hot when compared to the sterling material Blitzkrieg penned on their early days, and this particular recording doesn't enhance it in any significant level. As for "Too Wild to Tame" and "Hot 'n' Heavy Express", there's nothing out of the ordinary going on, but both are truly nice numbers in their own right, and those who love NWOBHM with a passion will sure delight on the prospect of listening to such early versions of these tracks. All things considered, this 5-track tape is quite a curio for NWOBHM collectors, and fills an important gap on the timeline of some acts we all came to love and respect, but you shouldn't waste any sleeping nights on it unless you're an obsessive completist, and most metalheads out there will surely be better served by the canonical versions of such songs. 

I have no idea of what happened to Malcolm Midwood after he found himself alone for a second time, though I think it's safe to assume no Mark III of Unter Den Linden ever surfaced, the guitarist possibly concluding that the whole stress of keeping a band together was simply not worth the effort. Curiously, it transpires that the axeman reappeared in the 1990's in a classic rock covers band named Witchkraft, that seems to have been active for at least the early 2020's and once featured the vocal services of none other than Tony Liddle (singer for Strangeways, Sergeant, Tygers of Pan Tang etc). Efforts are being made to locate him, and if we're all lucky enough I hopefully will soon be able to ask him a few questions and shed light on the whole Unter Den Linden / Avenger scenario once and for all. Fingers crossed!

Brian Ross (V), Mick Moore (B), Gary Young (D). Guitars probably recorded by Malcolm Midwood (though it's also possible that it was done by Steve Bird)

01. Hot 'n' Heavy Express

02. Hunt You Down

03. Space Traveller

04. Love's Too Late

05. Too Wild to Tame

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

SAPPHIRE (UK-Preston) - Sapphire (demo, 1982) plus II (demo, 1983)

RATING: 8/10

Perhaps we can describe this as a pre-review? I mean, it recently came to my knowledge that Lancashire's Sapphire (not to be confused with their - also pretty good - London namesakes) are going to receive a proper CD/LP release at long last, compiling the couple independent releases that are know to us to this day (and perhaps, fingers crossed, some yet-unreleased curios as well?). It made my day knowing this really, as I have been an ardent admirer of the band for roughly 20 years now, having been lucky enough to download both cassette releases via SoulSeek in 2006 or thereabouts - or was it even earlier, maybe a year or so? I can't really remember now, but fact is it was love at first listen, and (though I was never able to locate and/or acquire original copies myself) I'm very thankful that the mp3 files and picture scans came my way in a period when (even with the invaluable help of landmark sources of info such as Malc McMillan's NWOBHM Encyclopedia) I simply wasn't even aware they ever existed, let alone looking for their music. That Sapphire's music will finally be available in proper, collectable formats got me so pumped up that I've been listening to their music all day, and ultimately felt it would be a good time as any to write a few lines about it - not only as a reference to their charming and catchy brand of NWOBHM music, but also as a strong incentive to every good reader to buy a copy as soon as possible, as (just like it came to be the case with Turbo's magnificent "Charged for... Glory" compilation from Cult Metal Classics) I'm pretty sure it will be one of the most valuable additions to the NWOBHM retrospective releases in recent memory.

There's no doubt the upcoming release will offer plenty of interesting trivia and first-hand accounts about Sapphire (and I damn sure want you to buy it when it comes out), so I won't make any exhaustive efforts to tell every single snippet of info I know about the band (not that I actually know their history in minute detail, you know). Still, some context is always welcome, am I right? The group was originally formed in Preston, Lancashire in November 1981, and it originally worked as a trio with brothers Graham (G) and David Coupe (D) alongside Stewart Mayor (B), putting a number of original numbers together before recruiting Jan Holmes as a lead singer. After a few shows, Mayor left and Ian Dargie (B) took his place, and new singer Dave Drew was invited into the fun, with Holmes assuming keyboard duties instead. This is the line-up that recorded the band's first tape at the local Countdown Studios in the final months of 1982, which allegedly sold in excess of 400 copies and got a very good response in places like Belgium (where they seem to have become something of a pirate-rock-radio sensation for a while) and the Netherlands. Some line-up changes were on the horizon though, with David Coupe and Dave Drew leaving and being substituted by Carl Parker (D) and Ben Morris (V), and this 5-piece would record in June 1983 the five tracks that comprise their second and final tape release. Things looked very promising for a while, and their first (and, so far, only) vinyl appearance as part of the "It's Unheard Of!" compilation in 1984 (with an abridged version of "Encounter") sure have done their chances no harm whatsoever. But no further music was ever heard from the band, and it seems that Sapphire were no longer active by the 1985 or thereabouts. They seem to have been pretty determined in their quest for fame and fortune, going to great lengths to spread their tapes wherever possible and getting as far as planning a full Belgian tour for 1984 (which I'm sure never came to be, unfortunately), so I suppose the lads, having given their best shot for a few very eventful years, ultimately concluded the band had run its course and collectively opted to disband, in order to pursue other interests. None of the members resurfaced in any other bands of note, at least that I'm aware of, but I'm sure the forthcoming compilation will offer us some much welcome extra info in due course. 

The first demo (a release that, given its careful presentation, have been described by different sources as a cassette album) is perhaps slightly more widely known than the sophomore "II" tape, but fact is that most metalheads out there (including a large percentage of NWOBHM enthusiasts) are simply unfamiliar with Sapphire's music, which is a clear indication that the world has gone completely mad indeed. What we hear in "Sapphire" (the debut tape) is elegant, dynamic heavy metal with more than a taste of 70's hard rock (most of all in the style of choice of singer David Drew) and generous connections to the then-flourishing prog rock revival scene, most of all due to the prominent (but not at all intrusive) use of keyboards. In fact, two of the tracks here featured ("Autumn" and "Freeflight") are instrumental cuts with more than a leaning towards full-blown proggy music - and, to be frank, both are little more than keyboard-driven filler that, regardless of its good intentions, won't do much for most metal palates, I'm afraid. That being said, the rest of the material is very good, even surprisingly original in places, as one have to consider the musicians involved were in their early twenties at the very most. Opening track "Encounter" is quite a blast actually, a tale about a contact with alien spaceships that (despite the somewhat silly lyrics) really captures the listener's attention without ever letting go. The use of keyboards is very clever (with melodies that are quite reminiscent of "Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind", who would have ever guessed), the mid-tempo drive of the song works beautifully and the vocal lines are truly enjoyable, most of all the very memorable chorus. It has its rough edges, that's for sure, but it's still a remarkably catchy tune that is sure to live rent-free inside your mind for quite a while after listening to it.

But Sapphire are not one-hit-wonders, mind you. "Love is the Feeling" is a delightful, hard-hitting tune that strongly brings to mind a slightly more melodic Trespass (the riffs, though surely not a carbon-copy, are actually not that dissimilar to "One of These Days", incidentally), whereas "Back on the Streets" (enhanced by a simple, but very nice atmospheric mid session) and "Two Timer" are your typical NWOBHM fare - and I mean it in the best way possible, these being tracks that bands like A II Z and Bashful Alley would be glad to call their own. "Crazy" is a mellower tune that starts rather unpromising, but gains a lot of oomph when the guitars kick in, and final track "Battle for Freedom" is a more epic cut with more pretentious arrangements - and, though not a award-winning display of faultless songwriting (it kinda sounds like the lads are struggling to keep it together in places), it's still a commendable step in the right direction in the learning curve towards the most complex end of the metal spectrum. All in all, a pretty nice collection of songs for such a young act, and one that should really gather a fair dose of attention from the record labels of the day, if there was any justice in the world.

The second tape (succintly-named "II") shows some perceivable differences in the band's approach, with arrangements clearly leaning towards a more polished, proggy sound - though never letting their hard/heavy fans down, you can rest assured of that. Actually, I tend to think that songs like "One Last Chance" and most of all "Third Precinct Seventeen" show Sapphire under the most favorable light, with the 5-piece surely moving towards a sound that is all their own, without any obvious comparisons with anyone else. In fact, I'd say "Third Precinct Seventeen" is my favorite song from Sapphire (and I pretty much like them all, you know), with colourful lyrics about some personal tragedy carried along by forceful, dynamic guitar riffing and pretty colourful performances from all members. The stop-and-go chorus is memorable as hell, and I can't help but think how nice if will be if some modern NWOTHM band ever pick this one up as a cover, giving it a proper reworking and more modern production values. "One Last Chance" is a more typical heavy rock number, but I simply love the keyboards on this one, and another catchy chorus is sure to replay into your brain for days after listening to it. 

"851216" is a bit more laid back, with keyboard melodies that float above the rest of the band almost like a different song - this actually being pretty nice, as it gives the track something of a ethereal, slightly haunting vibe. But the verses and chorus are not that memorable to be frank, the track as a whole failing to reach the heights of its two predecessors. Final tracks "Coming of the Storm" and "Twilight Watcher" are the most adventurous of the batch, though not moving too deep into flamboyant arrangements or busy displays of dexterity - let's face it, the lads playing it were undeniably talented, but not skilled enough to awe the world with their musicianship just yet. "Coming of the Storm" starts as a pretty decent mid-tempo number with pensive lyrics until halfway through, when it lays the pedal to the floor and launches into a fast-and-furious section that, albeit pretty simple, still works out quite nicely. "Twilight Watcher", on the other hand, is not that long (4-minutes straight), but I'd say it's very ambitious for its running time, with nice guitar-keys dialogues and a few surprising changes in dynamics that can really take the listener off guard. It also gets pretty heavy towards the end, though it doesn't quite take it to the limit like in the previous track. A pretty nice piece of music nonetheless, and it comes to show that Sapphire had a fair number of tricks under their sleeves after all, and could have evolved into something truly special if given a modicum of encouragement and financial backing.

As stated above, I'm not familiar with the events that led to Sapphire's disbanding, but I sincerely hope some much belated adulation will come their way at long last, and a few comeback shows would be something of a dream come true really. I'd definitely try to schedule my vacations and book a travel to wherever they would play, if I can only find the time (and the money) to do so! It's all only a wild conjecture of mine by this point, but the world is always full of surprises (the Bleak House reunion was quite unexpected for instance, at least for me), so just let me dream a little, right? While none of it comes to fruition, and the Sapphire CD/LP is a promise rather than a reality, let's hold on to the mp3 files (or the old tapes, if you lucky to have it) for a while, savoring the taste of pleasant dreams on their way to become truth. I'll drink to that tonight.

David Drew (V), Graham Coupe (G), Ian Dargie (B), Ian Holmes (K/V), David Coupe (D).

01. Encounter (D.Coupe, Drew, G.Coupe, Dargie, Holmes) 5:15
02. Autumn (Holmes) 1:11
03. Back on the Streets (G.Coupe) 3:43
04. Crazy (G.Coupe) 4:24
05. Love is the Feeling (D.Coupe, Drew, G.Coupe) 4:00
06. Two Timer (G.Coupe) 3:19
07. Freeflight (G.Coupe) 2:46
08. Battle for Freedom (D.Coupe, G.Coupe, Holmes, S.Mayor) 3:37

Ben Holmes (V), Graham Coupe (G), Ian Dargie (B), Ian Holmes (K/V), Carl Parker (D).

01. Third Precinct Seventeen (G.Coupe) 5:08
02. One Last Chance (G.Coupe) 4:43
03. 851216 (G.Coupe) 4:36
04. Coming of the Storm (G.Coupe, Holmes) 6:05
05. Twilight Watcher (G.Coupe, Dargie, Holmes) 4:09

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!

DESTROYA (UK) - Destroya (EP, High Roller, 2011)

RATING: ***

It's a pleasure for me to add a fair number of High Roller releases to my personal collection. I consider these guys to be doing a great job, bringing back some great music from the 80s (and most of all NWOBHM, of course) for die-hard fans and avid collectors to enjoy. I have been buying their CD catalog for quite a while, and now I'm adding to my humble collection some of their vinyl releases too, as I finally bought a decent turntable and therefore can delve into this amazing (and sometimes quite expensive) world, once and for all. Expect to see a fair number of High Roller releases being reviewed around here, as I have bought a lot of stuff recently!

Let's start then with the interesting 12'' EP from Destroya, formed in 1979 at the East End of London by Andy Gregory (V) and Brian Moore (B) and that had some relation with none other than Iron Maiden, as some of Destroya's first musicians were part of Maiden's crew. There's an interesting bio to be read at the insert of this EP, so I won't delve too deep into personel changes and similar info - it's enough for our purposes to say they went as far as to record a 4-track demo in early 1983, leaving behind the somber imagery of their formative years and choosing to adopt a glam look (not really attuned to most of their music to be honest, but nevermind). They also started to use some silly pseudonyms (Andy Gregory became "Diamond" and Brian Moore chose to call himself "Genocide"), and were assisted by two ex-Rampant musicians - Ricky Tiley on drums, who was christened as (prepare for a surprise) "Rampant", and guitarist Paul "Jax" Playle - for their recording of their first demo. They made a hundred copies of it back in the day, and now the tracks are available for a wider audience thanks to a careful vinyl reissue via High Roller.

After an intro full of distortion and feedback, "Violent Streets" launches in very intense fashion, with aggressive riffing and a more restrained (yet heavy enough) chorus. The production is very raw, admitedly, but I think it adds to the overall effect of juvenile energy and power. It's a good number, showing that Destroya could comfortably sit alongside the most metallic acts of the period such as Satan, Mythra and even Iron Maiden themselves (although they were surely way more riff-oriented than Steve Harris and the boys). Second song "Victims of War" reminds me, both in song structure and lyrical concept, of Jaguar's "War Machine" - even the vocal melodies are similar. I think it's no more than a coincidence (it doesn't seems reasonable to think a band actually heard the demo material of the other), but it still is quite a noticeable resemblance. It's a competent attempt to create a dramatic wartime song, even though it's a bit immature in places.

Opening side two, "Stay With Me" is the most typical song here, a heavy rocker with the usual guy-wants-a-girl lyrics like the NWOBHM bequeated us in droves. Not a bad song at all, but it's the least impressive tune on display here. The way the guitarist apparently mess things up at the beginning of the solo sums things up perfectly: it adds a bit of youthful charm, but it also sounds a bit too ramshackle for comfort. To close proceedings, "Destroya" comes out like a true proto-Thrash offering, not too many miles away from Metallica's "Whiplash" (once again, I'm pretty sure there wasn't any actual influence going on here, it's just a musical similarity). The change in pace at the chorus doesn't work perfectly well IMO, but it's a minor detail - the song as a whole being a great excuse for more enthusiastic metalheads to throw some healthy shapes all over the place. No wonder it was the opening number at their shows. A wise choice, I would add.

I wouldn't say that Destroya were victims of a brutal injustice when they disbanded a few months after releasing this demo recordings (some of them resurfaced almost imediately as Shanghai Tiger, incidentally), as there's nothing here that really defies belief in terms of quality. But they sure had a fair deal of promise, and perhaps they could have developed quite well if they managed to soldier on a little longer. Oh well, all the might-have-beens. Surprisingly, they reunited in the first half of the 90s and recorded two other demos in a more Thrash Metal style (I don't listen to it for quite a while and I guess they will be reviewed here in the not-too-distant future). This vinyl EP, though, is still their only officialy-released legacy - so I suppose buying a copy would be a good decision for anyone who loves listening to what all those crazy long-haired kids were doing in UK at the first half of the 80s. Please, High Roller, keep them coming!

(more images to be added soon!)

Andy "Diamond" Gregory (V), Paul "Jax" Playle (G), Brian "Genocide" Moore (B), Ricky "Rampant" Tiley (D)

01. Violent Streets (Moore / Gregory)
02. Victims of War (Marx / Lewis / Moore / Gregory)
03. Stay With Me (Moore / Gregory)
04. Destroya (Moore / Gregory)

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!

EUPHORIA (UK) - BBC Session, 1981

RATING: **

There's not a great deal of info around when it comes to this mysterious outfit, one of those bands that, seemingly out of nowhere, somehow managed to record a session for BBC Radio One's "Friday Rock Show". The four songs from Euphoria were broadcasted in December 11th 1981, and it's fortunate that Tommy Vance's introduction to the session was preserved on tape, this being the primary source of reliable info when it comes to this elusive band.

Actually, it transpires that Euphoria was the solo effort of a certain Peter Leyden, a guitarist based in Tyneside who recorded a few demos in his own bedroom - pre-empting the boom of home-made recordings of the late 90s in at least a full decade - and, fearless of the consequences, sent the recordings to the famous radio rock show. Quite unexpectedly, Tommy Vance really enjoyed what he heard and asked Euphoria to lay down a session for the Friday Rock Show - something that created a bit of a problem for Peter Leyden, as there was no proper band to assist him in the first place. Everything was put together in a hurry, I suppose, but somehow he managed to recruit Ken Donaldson (B) and Alan Hepplewhite (D) to help him out in the short term, with Leyden himself assuming vocal duties.

Musically speaking, you won't get much of NWOBHM after all, as Euphoria's music is more in an unpretentious melodic rock vein, with pleasant (but quite uncomplicated) guitar arrangements and simple, puerile lyrics. The comparisions with Jimi Hendrix's music done by Tommy Vance in his preambule are not that off-the-mark, as there's definitely a feel of a bygone age - but of course don't expect anything near the guitar attack of good old Jimi, as it surely wasn't even the intention here. It's not that hard to enjoy listening to Euphoria's music, but there's nothing memorable in it too - apart from the simple-but-catchy riff of the first song, I simply can't remember anything else after listening to it, no matter how much I try. As I'm working with mp3 files who ommit the part where Tommy Vance revealed the name of the songs, your guess is as good as mine, although I think that "Looking For You" (the opening track) and "Don't Want To Lose You" (the third song) are safe bets and I would be surprised to be wrong in that. All things considered, though, I wouldn't really recommend it unless to the more open-minded NWOBHM fans, as the only logic connection of this bunch with the genre we all love is that they recorded a session for BBC while the NWOBHM boom was still pretty much going on. It's not bad at all, though - give it a chance and perhaps you might enjoy it a lot more than I did.

I'm almost entirely certain that this session for Friday Rock Show was the swansong of Euphoria, rather than the breakthrough that perhaps they thought it would be. I wouldn't be remotely surprised if they never even took shape as a proper band at all, being together solely for the purposes of this one and only recording session. Whatever the story, Euphoria vanished into oblivion in a matter of weeks after their session was broadcasted, never to be heard from again. I seriously doubt that any of the musicians involved took part in any other bands of note in later years, but i's quite difficult to determine further details on this subject. On the other hand, I was informed that Peter Leyden may actually have died not a long ago, which would no doubt be really unfortunate - but, you know, it will happen to us all eventually, so may God rest his soul. If you happen to know anything else about them (or took any role in their fortunes, even the slightest), I would wholeheartedly invite you to get in touch...

Last update: June 16th, 2013

Peter Leyden (V, G), Ken Donaldson (B), Alan Hepplewhite (D).

Tracklist unknown

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!

RACE AGAINST TIME (UK) - Race Against Time (Demo, private, 1980)

RATING: ***

It's common knowledge today that Race Against Time was the first known band of Mr. Dave Halliday, later to find fame (well, some) and fortune (none, unfortunately) with Hell, a band that truly embodied the "underground legend" status in years gone by and now, thanks to a kick-ass CD called "Human Remains" (2011), achieved a whole different level of success and adulation. Tragically, Dave Halliday took his own life in 1987, many years before the ground-breaking music he wrote with Hell could reach the album destiny it always truly deserved. All things considered, it's perfectly understandable that Halliday's earlier efforts with Race Against Time are also having something of a mini-revival in later years - not only their sole vinyl legacy, the track "Bedtime" for Logo's "New Electric Warriors" compilation (already reviewed somewhere around here), but also the scarce demo recordings known to exist today.

Race Against Time was a reasonably popular live atraction in the East Midlands (UK), being part of a bands cooperative with fellow groups such as Paralex and Radium, who would arrange gigs together, share gear and rotate headliners to keep things fair. As mentioned above, they made it into "New Electric Warriors", their "Bedtime" effort being one of the heaviest tracks on display, but failed to capitalise on this useful exposure, being pretty much disbanded at the tail end of 1981. Apart from "Bedtime", the only studio legacy of the band is a three-track demo recorded at Cargo Studios, released sometime in 1980 and presenting Mr. Halliday (V/G) with Al Short (B) and Geoff Green (D) as accomplices.

To be fair, Race Against Time's music wasn't a million miles away from what Hell would later become, although it's undeniably a much more run-of-the-mill, straight-forward Metal proposition. Of the songs here featured, I won't hesitate to indicate "The Harbinger of Death" as the most capable of all - unsurprisingly, it's also the song with the closest similarities to Hell. It's an intense number with many brief tempo changes, semi-demonic lyrics and a great chorus, all pieces clicking together for great effect. Dave Halliday's vocal histrionics are also shown in embryonic form here, making a clear point that the theatrical side of Hell was always something he had in mind. All in all, an extremely enjoyable number, no doubt about that.

The demo version of "Bedtime" is nearly identical to the one released on the LP compilation - there's a few subtle differences in singing, but not much else to distinguish one take from the other. It's a very direct song, with a heavy drive and lyrics filled with a debauching view on not-remotely-romantic sex ("I don't want to look inside your head / I want to take you to bed!"). As I once told, I happen to like it a hell of a lot (no pun intended), but I can surely understand that many HM devotees consider it to be a minor song, as there's surely no Metal Revolution going on here. The final song "Bleed You Dry" is a kinda odd one: I assume it is something of a banter on the then-collapsing Punk Rock scene, with scornful lyrics and even a football-anthem section to make sure the irony won't go unnoticed. It's not a song for all tastes, that's for sure - but it's surely a Heavy Metal number, and those of you already familiar with Dave Halliday's particular sense of humour (remember, for instance, Hell's now legendary "Save Us From Those Who Would Save Us") are most likely to enjoy it to the full.

I wouldn't say that Race Against Time's early demise was exactly a misfortune or musical injustice - not only because it was a crucial move to allow Hell to be spawned on earth (pun intended, sorry), but also because I'm not sure they could have gone any further in its original form. For my ears, they sound like a transitional project all along: although I'm sure it wasn't the original plan, they kinda make a bridge from the knockabout roots of NWOBHM to the more ellaborate, theatrical and complex contribution that Hell (and kindred-spirited bands such as Sabbat and - why not? - British Doom metallers such as My Dying Bride and Anathema) would develop in later years. Apart from Dave Halliday (who, as we all know, gave his blood and soul to Hell before commiting suicide in 1987), the only other member of Race Against Time to have a future role on Heavy music was bassist Al Short, who took part in Witchfynde soon after the recording of "Lords of Sin" in 1984, but didn't really had a chance to influence the fortunes of the collapsing outfit, making his personal leave of the music scene soon after the group was disbanded.

Dave Halliday (V,G), Al Short (B), Geoff Green (D).

01. The Harbinger of Death 5:08
02. Bedtime  2:50
03. Bleed You Dry 4:03

Huge thanks to Strappado Metal Blog for picture scans!

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!

VALKYRIE (UK) - From "Seaside Rock" compilation (2 LP, Airship, 1981) plus Demo #1 (demo, private, 1983)

RATING: ****

The good days of NWOBHM are seemingly inexhaustible when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, you will be confronted with extremely rare stuff from bands that, to be brutally honest, didn't really deserve much more than the oblivion they actually achieved; on other occasions, though, I find myself utterly shocked to just how damn good some obscurities were. This british Valkyrie - a band that had only one song ever pressed and whose known legacy features just four songs - is that kind of Heavy Metal combo who deserved way more than they actually managed to get.

There's not much info on Valkyrie really. They were from West Sussex, most probably from the city of Chichester, and were presumably doing the rounds since the very beggining of the 80's. Their first (and only) vinyl appearance came to be in 1981, via a local band compilation called "Seaside Rock" and released by Airship label. I suppose this early exposure was a bit useless though, as they were not just the only band to be allowed to contribute with a single song (all other groups featured with two tracks each), but also the only genuine Heavy Metal in a double-LP compilation... Undeterred, the lads persevered for quite a while longer (Malc McMillan, in his NWOBHM Encyclopedia, assumes they were active until the mid-80s), although with no further vinyl ever coming out, something that was a complete disgrace if you ask me. It seems that guitarist Graham Hutchason was the only member to take part in both recording sessions known at present, suggesting that the band suffered a complete reshuffle (maybe even reuniting after a split) from 1981 to 1983, when "Demo #1" (was it the first demo really or a mention to some sort of band rebirth?) was released. Efforts are being made to locate some of the lads and, if we suceed, I'm sure we will have plenty more details to report. Fingers crossed!

Undeniably their most known song (which is not to say much, I know, but you know what I mean), "Cradle to the Grave" is quite a nice piece of music - actually, it kicks ass. It opens in epic proportions: centered on a astute guitar tapping, the rhythm section works to create a growing atmosphere, helped by some synthetizers trying to emulate orchestra-like arrangements. It could sound a bit better, but it's quite impressive nonetheless. Then the song launches into a heavy assault with intense riffing and semi-demonic lyrics - and, after a few minutes, you will almost surely find yourself throwing shapes and raising the horns to this great song. The fact that it was issued only in such a nondescript local band compilation was, if truth be told, a complete disgrace - I'm entirely sure that it could (and should) have been the A-side of a killer 7'' single under different circumstances. Yeah, I like it THAT much! ^^

The other three songs I know from Valkyrie are from a demo from 1983, and they give us a better picture of how capable the band was. Although none of the songs displayed are as strong and memorable as "Cradle to the Grave", they surely deliver some good Heavy Metal here, in a forceful, energetic style which reminds me of Hollow Ground, Mythra and stuff like that. My favorite song would be "Warlords" (a strong number with a somewhat epic feel, despite being a fast-paced attack not too far from what we would later know as Power/Speed Metal), even though "Streetfighter" (not really surprising, but undeniably effective and with nice guitar solos) and "I Know Your Name" (a more hard-rocking song with nice riffing throughout) are also very enjoyable pieces of music. Not a single fault at all, and the instrumentation are very competent too, with singer Marc Hume showcasing a youthful and raunchy voice that fits like a glove to the material here featured.

Excellent stuff really, and it's a shame that there's no prospect of a CD release in the foreseeable future, as far as I know. I mean, there's gotta be more stuff hidden out there - and Valkyrie surely deserves to be available in official format, the sooner the better. I had very elusive info about Mark Robothan (drummer at the "Cradle to the Grave" sessions) being later involved with a band called Thieves Kitchen, but that's it. If someone has any info to further enlighten us, I would wholeheartedly beg you to get in touch, as I REALLY would like to know more about Valkyrie and their excellent music.

On "Seaside Rock": Graham Hutchason (G), Mark Robothan (D), Marshall Penn, Michael Wylam, Tom Broughton
On "Demo #1": Marc Hume (V), Graham Hutchason (G), Percy (G), Craig Alexander (B), Graham Linn (D)

Cradle to the Grave (Hutchason, Penn, Wylam) 5:37

01. Streetfighter 3:15
02. Warlords 5:05
03. I Know Your Name 4:06

Extra mega-special thanks to Strappado Metal Blog for band photos and formation info!

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!

VIRTUE (UK) - We Stand to Fight (7'' Other Records, 1985) plus Fool's Gold (Demo, Hatchet, 1987)

RATING: ****

Now THAT is a band that should reform! As all of you NWOBHM addicts know far too well, Virtue's sole 7'' is a near-classic of the genre, a record that nearly all collectors seem to have in high regard - and very understandably so, I must gladly add. Both "We Stand to Fight" and "High Treason" are extremely enjoyable, well-crafted compositions in a heroic Power Metal style, bringing to my mind comparisons with (equally awesome) bands such as Iron Maiden, Elixir and early Tokyo Blade. Both songs are excellent neck-trauma-inducing preciosities, but I tend to like "We Stand to Fight" better, with their impressive twin-guitar riffing, powerful chorus and epic ending. All the lads play very well, and Mr. Tudor Sheldon was a hell of a singer with a bright future ahead of him. The picture sleeve is very nice too, and you will be doing a great move by adding this beauty to your Heavy Metal collection. I mean it!

Oh well, after such passionate accolades, I better give you all good people some historic insight, right? Brothers Tudor (V) and Matt Sheldon (G) were playing music since 1981 at least, but it wasn't until 1984 that the first incarnation of Virtue was operative, the lads being assessed by Adrian Metcalfe (G), Brian Reader (B) and Ian Lewington (D). They came as far as to release a demo in the same year, called "Virtue-Defenders". But, according to Malc McMillan's stunning NWOBHM Encyclopedia, this early offering didn't make into any wider circulation - mostly because of the members themselves, who felt the low-budget recording and ramshackle production would be detrimental to their cause. Almost immediately, the band was dissolved - just to be resurrected the following year, with Tudor and Matt recruiting Boz Beast (G), Darren Prothero (B) and Simon Walters (D) to help their cause. After some small club appearances and with a revised repertoire, Virtue would release its sole vinyl souvenir in 1985 - helped by a very enterprising individual who, after hearing the songs, decided to assemble a full label (Other Records, that is) just so he could take full responsibility for pressing and distributing the whole thing. Someone who knew what good music was as soon as he listened to it, if you ask me.

Their 7'' single was a respectable success, enough to secure a second pressing, and a lot of copies were mailed to record companies, generating interest from none other than EMI, who were (and still is) the home of Iron Maiden at the time. Unfortunately, the major label decided not to offer Virtue a contract (and just imagine how different things would have been if they did!), and the group went back to the independent releases, recording three songs for an EP to be issued in Hatchet Records at early 1987. Unluckly, it was never properly released on vinyl, appearing only in tape format as a demo called "Fool's Gold".

This new batch of compositions show Virtue not only to maintain their musical edge, but also to expand it in places. The title-track is impressive, its grandiose opening leading to a fast-guitar assault that makes the headbanging almost mandatory. It's a widespread notion that they were toying with Thrash Metal at the time - but although some perceivable hints (especially within the excellent "Seek and Destroy"), I guess they were still more Power Metal (and a very powerful one, indeed) than anything else. The instrumentation is top-notch, with great singing from Tudor Sheldon and a really impressive guitar display, "Hideaway" being specially outstanding in that aspect. It's a HUGE shame that such good songs didn't made it into vinyl, as the planned EP would have been kick-ass  and would surely consolidate Virtue as one of the most serious contenders in british's Metal scene at the time.

Unfortunately, "Fool's Gold" was Virtue's swansong, rather than the major liftoff it should have been. Around 1988, the band was no more, with only Matt Sheldon staying in the music business at first, lending his services to minor acts such as Transmit This and Roundhouse. In the early 90's, he was joined by his mate Boz Beast (now Boz Bozlee) in Shock Tactics, later renamed as The Shock and that went as far as to release two CDs ("Against the World" and "Pinultimate") towards the end of the decade. They were even joined by bassist Bob Duffy, who enjoyed a brief spell with Virtue itself at the very end of the band's existence. I think it's also worth noting that The Shock's singer Martin Barclay came to be involved with TV show "Stars in Your Eyes", trying to emulate Jon Bon Jovi (I kid you not, my friends) and subsequently had huge complications with the Law regarding illegal pornography, spending some time behind bars.  Nowadays, though, The Shock is hibernant, with Matt Sheldon keeping a very low profile when it comes to music. Time for us to make some real pressure and convince him to bring the mighty Virtue back to life, isn't it? Man, what a killer CD/LP it would be! Maybe the good guys at High Roller Records will be able to persuade him? Fingers crossed!

Tudor Sheldon (V), Matt Sheldon (G),  Boz Beast (G), Darren Prothero (B), Simon Walters (D)
All songs by Matt Sheldon / Tudor Sheldon

1) We Stand to Fight 4:55
2) High Treason 5:56

1) Fool's Gold 5:19
2) Hideaway 3:38
3) Seek and Destroy 4:18

These and many more memorabilia can be found at Virtue's Facebook Fanpage

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!

STÖRMCRY (UK) - The Dawn of the Mega-Metal (Demo, Private, 198?)

RATING: *

Sometimes, I'm rendered speechless. OK, it's heartwarming to know how intense and inspiring the NWOBHM days were to many people, but it doesn't mean to say that every recording band of those days were worthy of more that they actually managed to get - sometimes, not even that. Take Störmcry, for example. Three kids from Lewes, East Sussex UK pretending to be Venom, that actually went far enough to record a couple of songs on one of their bedrooms (rebaptized as "Hellhole Studios" for great effect) and to design a hand-drawn artwork for their cassete-only "The Dawn of the Mega-Metal" single. "No overdubs whatsoever!!" and "No Bunny Rabbits!", warn us the front cover - not that anyone could have any doubt about that, you know. It even seems to me that they were trying to create a new subgenre, the Mega Metal - something that make sense when you think that Venom had Black Metal to call their own. Wonders never cease.

I mean, it's not only that it is a stupendously bad release - it's hard to even take it as a release at all. "Stormcry" and "The Charge (Synth Wimpi Massacre)" were probably written at the same date of recording, being so crude and amateurish as you could expect from 15-year old kids (one of them had only 13) making some noise for the sheer hell of it. There's no production, no proficiency, they don't know what to do with their instruments - the recording is actually so poor that you can hardly understand what they meant to do, but still it's noticeable that whatever it is, they weren't doing it right. "The group hope to record a cassette album when finances allow", say the small letter sent along with the release, "and to play some local gigs at the same time". I'm almost entirely sure they didn't do either thing, and I reckon it was all for the best in that case. Furthermore, I'm pretty sure that any of the musicians have no involvement whatsoever with the music scene today - and would be bewildered, if not utterly shocked, to learn that people are actually willing to buy copies of their youthfully irresponsible release, considering it to be a NWOBHM collectable of some sort.

Still, it is not a bad release in a offensive or intolerable way - and that's why I won't give it a black dot, something that would be mandatory if I were judging this cassette on musical merits alone. It became something of an underground legend not only for being really really bad, but also from being funny enough to put a smile on people's faces. It's not like we are laughing at them - it's more like we're laughing WITH THEM, having some prepubescent fun with a bunch of kids that really like Venom and wanted to spend a sunny afternoon pretending they're in a band. I guess it didn't last much more than a few weeks, at the very latest - but now, thanks to good old Lady Luck and a bit of internet sharing, it will last forever. It's almost uplifting, in a way - like a child's dream come true. I hate it, but I really love it. Thank you, guys.

David Vise (V/D), Antony Smith (G), Rupert Taylor (B).

01. Stormcry (Smith, Vise, Taylor) 2:43
02.The Charge (Synth Wimpi Massacre) (Vise, Smith) 1:50

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!