MIRAGE (UK, Wales) - Biography

Being an amateur NWOBHM researcher may be slightly frustrating sometimes. It's not uncommon that your hard efforts are rewarded with absolutely no success at all, and sometimes suceeding isn't even that good in the end of the day: old "classics" may not be that hot, and old musicians often are not that proud of what they did in the dim and distant past... But believe me when I tell you, sometimes it TOTALLY worth the effort indeed. I have been very lucky recently when it comes to track down members of long gone (but never really forgotten) NWOBHM bands, and I'll do my best to give you some exclusive info in the coming weeks. For starters, please let me drop you a few lines about the mighty Mirage from South Wales - a band that capture people's collective imagination for decades, and an history that I'm really proud to say that is still going strong at this very moment!

Mirage came to existence sometime in 1983, while guitarist Richard Price from West Midlands was doing his time in Cardiff, studying Chemical Engineering at the Polytechnic of Wales. After a minor experience with a youthful band called Nova in the early 80s, Richard Morris wanted to have a band to call his own once again, and a few ads in Cardiff music shops got him in touch with Gerry Turner (D), Richard "Wretch" Morgan (V) and Carl Skinner (B). They chose the name Mirage and became something of a promise almost immediately, although it transpires that they performed no more than a couple of local gigs during the course of their existence. They went as far as to record a handful of original songs, one of those ("Blind Fury") picked up by the tiny Notepad label for inclusion in a humble local-band compilation, called "Notepad Productions Vol. 1" and released in 1984. They also took part in a local Battle of the Bands competition, but Mirage didn't really last the distance in its original form, the project being laid to rest even before the end of the year.

Maybe nobody would really take notice of Mirage's only vinyl appearance if not for our good friend Malc MacMillan and his invaluable NWOBHM Encyclopedia from 2001. MacMillan reviews "Blind Fury" in very enthusiastic terms, describing the track (pretty much the only Metal on display there) as a "superb, catchy, mid paced number with an excellent vocal performance" and "truly one of the classic tracks of the entire NWOBHM genre". You don't need much more than that to spark the imagination of a NWOBHM aficionado - and it was over a decade of wondering about Mirage and "Blind Fury" until I finally get in touch with two of the band members (drummer Gerry Turner and Richard Price on guitar), very nice people who treated me with great kindness and furnished me with info and invaluable music files - incluiding the elusive "Blind Fury", the classic track few people had the chance to hear.

After listening to it several times, I can wholeheartedly tell you that Mr. Malc MacMillan was completely right all along. What a nice song it is! It's a simple, yet extremely catchy mid-tempo heavy rocker which brilliantly captures the energy of a youthful bunch of talented musicians. The vocal lines are excellent (the bridge to the chorus is particularly impressive) and delivered with great talent by Mr. Wretch, whereas the other players completely overshadow the rough edges of the overall performance with massive quantities of sheer (and contagious) enthusiasm. It shows more than simple promise: actually, these guys were GOOD, and they really could (should?) have become a way more popular band under different circumstances. If you're not convinced just yet, you can watch this video, edited by Mr. Price himself (and he was kind enough to mention this humble blogger in it, which I consider to be a huge honor indeed), where "Blind Fury" appears in all its glory. Listen and believe!


As earlier mentioned, Mirage was over at the tail end of 1984, but it wasn't the end of the line for the musicians involved. After a brief spell under the name Blondel, the Price / Morgan / Turner trio relocated to Price's hometown Birmingham and, assisted by Andrew Foster (B/K), reassembled as High Society. They wrote many songs in a more eccletic and experimental vein, the resulting material not being really connected to Heavy Metal, although the songs are mostly very enjoyable. They went as far as to put together a rehearsal studio of their own but, sadly, High Society split up in 1988, before leaving any proper recordings registered for posterity.

Singer Richard Morgan ran the High Society's studio for a few years after the band was history and later joined another band called Electraglyde, even releasing a full CD with them in the early 90s. Gerry Turner is no longer playing drums on a regular basis, but it's still pretty much active when it comes to music, home-recording lots of material in a one-man-band called Temple of Doubt and receiving some deserved airplay on Internet radio stations. Unfortunately, after keeping a very low profile on music for the remainder of his life, Mirage's bassist Carl Skinner passed away a few years ago, the kind of news that I'm always sad to share, really.

Richard Price would join a band called Serene Machine in the early-to-mid 90s, releasing a self-financed CD and performing a lot of gigs, the overall sound of the band being more attuned to bands such as Smashing Pumpkins and Suede. Since 2004, he plays guitar with Love Commandos, a very interesting rock band I would really reccomend you to give a chance to. They already have an album out (called "Siren" and available on iTunes) and a new release is a reasonable prospect in the near future, so it's heartwarming to know that Richard Price's guitar will surely be around for a good number of years to come.

And what about Mirage, you ask me? Well, it's great to say that we actually do have some news to share! Richard Price and Gerry Turner are very much in touch to this day and, after locating a handful of unreleased demos, are strongly considering a vinyl release to call their own. The tentative 7'' single will couple the outstanding "Blind Fury" with "Twilight Zone", a heavier affair with intense riffing and a catchy chorus. Let's hope for it to materialize in the near future, as the world would sure be a better place with a few more Mirage songs around!

Million thanks to Gerry Turner and Richard Price for kindly answering my e-mails and helping me with all the music and info on Mirage. A huge thank you to Mr. Malc MacMillan too, whose indispensable NWOBHM Encyclopedia (and the enthusiastic review to "Blind Fury") kept the flame alive for over a decade, making us all wonder about Mirage and their contribution to British heavy music. I'm a learner and a fan, and I bow to the three of you! :)

DEEP MACHINE (UK) - Rise of the Machine (CD, High Roller, 2014)

RATING: ***

I must admit it: though I was obviously excited about having the chance to finally listen to a full CD from Deep Machine, there was also a bit of fear of what was waiting for me after pushing the "play" button. I mean, much of what makes a band legendary exists nowhere but in our imagination: you listen to all those poorly-recorded demos from the 80s, spend years and years wondering how great it would be if all those marvellous songs had been immortalized on at least one proper LP and then lo and behold, Deep Machine is back on the road and "Rise of the Machine" is out. The real world will never be exactly the same as your imagination, and it sometimes can truly spoil the listening experience (although in some cases, such as Hell, the surprise is undeniably positive). So there I was, a fan of Deep Machine whose little dream finally comes true, knowing that a single listen would, in a sense, change things forever. But oh well, there will always be Mendes Prey or Tranzzam to fantasize about, so let's cut the crap and went straight to the album review, right?

This particular incarnation of Deep Machine is the one captained by guitarist and main songwriter Bob Hooker - there's also an alternative band, acting under the name The Deep and presenting a few former members of Deep Machine. That means Deep Machine 2014 is directly related with the earlier days of the band, bearing no connection with any formations put together after Hooker being replaced by Kevin Heybourne (of Angel Witch fame) in 1981. So don't expect renditions of "Nightstalker" or "Saga" around here, such songs being far more suited to The Deep than today's Deep Machine. Alongside Hooker, the new incarnation of Deep Machine presents Lenny Baxter (V), John Riley (B and not the main character of a Byrds' song, incidentally), Chas Towler (D) and a shady individual who rather call himself Beastie (G). They are a strong unit and it shows throughout the CD, so rest assured there's nothing to complaint about when it comes to individual performances.

As for musical contents, I think opening song "The Wizard" sums it all perfectly. It's a memorable song and truly an obscure classic of NWOBHM, but this particular recording reach less-than-impressive results - mostly because the band chose to completely change the chorus, replacing the memorable many-words-in-a-roll original for predictable, metal-by-the-numbers "you will sense the fear / when the wizard is near" nonsense. Was it all just so vocalist Lenny Baxter could be credited as a songwriter too? Though it's by far the most radical (and least sucessful) attempt to fix what was not broken, it's not the only time that "Rise of the Machine" sounds like Deep Machine is just trying too hard to recreate themselves in a way that wasn't really necessary. It's not a major issue, but it gets quite annoying sometimes and it prevents this CD from being even more enjoyable.

The best moments of this album are on "Witchild" (as strong as it should be), "The Gladiator" (I always loved its simple-but-memorable riffing) and "Hell Forest" (surprisingly upbeat version here). New songs such as "Whispers in the Black", "The Gathering" and "Celebrophile" are good enough and show that the band can still write pleasant music, so we're not let down in that sense either. But there's a few disappointments here and there, such as the aforementioned "The Wizard" and "Iron Cross" (seriously lads, leave that good old choruses alone!), that truly fail to live up to the expectations. Old chestnut "Black Priestess" is a remarkable piece of songwriting in an Angel Witch vein, but the changes in singing, although subtle, sounded a bit too strange to my ears. And I really miss "Demon Preacher" for instance, one of the finest songs Deep Machine ever wrote - though it can be included in a future release, who knows?

All things considered, though, "Rise of the Machine" is still much more of a triumph than anything else. Their small-but-loyal fanbase will undoubtedly be happy that their longtime heroes were able to deliver a nice CD after all these years, and I wouldn't demand for more. It's not the album of my dreams, but no one can enter my brain to find out exaclty what my dreams are, so I guess things are fine the way they turned out to be. NWOBHM fans (and I know you're out there) are well advised to give this record a chance.

Lenny Baxter (V), Bob Hooker (G), Beastie (G), John Riley (B), Chas Towler (D).

01. The Wizard (Hooker/Baxter)
02. The Gathering (Hooker/Baxter)
03. The Gladiator (Hooker/Baxter)
04. Warhead (Hooker)
05. Black Priestess (Hooker/Baxter)
06. Hell Forest (Hooker)
07. Witchild (Hooker/Baxter)
08. Celebrophile (East/Baxter)
09. Killer (Hooker/Wiggins)
10. Whispers in the Black (Hooker/Baxter)
11. Iron Cross (Hooker/Baxter)

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!

SIDEWINDER (UK) - Basil Herd (7'', SRT, 1983)

RATING: **

The rise of the NWOBHM collecting scene in the 90s (a ressurgence in interest that is pretty much active to this day) surely had a few side effects, as I'm sure most of you are aware. Some records (even though very good in much cases) were passed out as undiscovered classics of the era while actually being nothing of the sort. In some cases they came out too late (or too early) to fit the NWOBHM timeline, sometimes the bands were not British, and there's a number of cases when the groups in question weren't even trying to be Heavy Metal at all. The immensely obscure Sidewinder, from which precious little is known at present, seems to fit like a glove into the third category. Their one and only vinyl release, a self-financed 7'' from 1983, may be included in many NWOBHM wishlists, but I really don't think any of the musicians involved (whoever they were) ever wore leather jackets and bullet belts, as "Basil Herd" and "The Game" have almost nothing to do with Heavy Metal.

As this is a double A-sided single, I randomly decided to consider "Basil Herd" the main focus of attention around here. It's powerpop with some slightly heavier guitar parts, although the song structure and lyrical subject actually reminds me of some Oi! bands like Cock Sparrer at their "Running Riot in '84" days. The basslines are quite prominent and the song as a whole is reasonably well-crafted and catchy, so it's not like we're being submitted to any sort of atrocity here - I actually kinda like it, to make things clear. But I'm afraid this tune won't appeal to the vast majority of headbangers, being more indicated for those who happen to enjoy the powerpop and indie scenes as well. "The Game" is a tiny bit more intense, with some guitar interplay and a reasonably nice chorus, but still it's firmly rooted in indie/new wave soil, being miles away from anything remotely close to Heavy Metal. If you're desperately looking for NWOBHM comparisons, I would say that Sidewinder reminds me slightly of Blazer Blazer and Urchin - but it's a very tenuous connection really, as they were much closer to Buzzcocks and The Jam than anything more forceful or metallic. Not bad anyway - maybe they could have achieved better things if given some encouragement, as their music doesn't leave that much to be desired for indie rock enthusiasts.

I must admit I have no idea who were involved with Sidewinder - there's precisely zero usable info on the label, no writing credits, no mentions to any recording facility, nothing. I once read somewhere that this particular band came from Yorkshire, but I have no corroboratory info on this, so the lads could be from pretty much anywhere else in the UK. Therefore I'm left with no choice but to ask the kind reader to help me fill the blanks. If you have any reliable info on Sidewinder, even the slightest, please don't be shy and use the e-mail address below to get in touch. I would love to know more about Sidewinder, really.

Musicians unknown

01. Basil Herd 3:00
02. The Game 2:59

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!

TROTYL (BUL) - Lunatic (7'', Balkanton, 1988)

RATING: ***

There's a lot of Heavy Metal waiting to be found in Eastern Europe, you know. Once hidden behind the Iron Curtain, many bands from the 80s tried their luck with loud guitars, high-pitched vocals and heroic lyrical themes, all with different levels of sucess of course. The fact that they were submited to a considerable degree of isolation from the Western increasingly-globalized culture rendered many Heavy Metal contributions from Eastern countries to sound quite unique - and I'm always very interested to learn more about this geographical area, as there's a fair bit of interesting music waiting to be heard. I must confess I knew nothing about Trotyl from Bulgaria until a few weeks ago, when I managed to obtain mp3 files from their "Lunatic" single - I had no clue they actually released a few full albums of their own and were active, in a way or another, until 2010 or thereabouts. I still didn't put that much effort into grabbing the rest of their discography, but I suppose their debut single (released sometime in 1988) is a good introduction to their musical legacy.

"Lunatic" is Heavy Metal as traditional as it gets, with simple-yet-effective riffing and undeniable influence of Accept in the vocal department. Curiously, each song has a different singer, this one being delivered by Vasil Kalpachki. Not sure if they were changing vocalists at the time or if having two singers was the idea all along (there's five musicians pictured, you know), so any enlightenment will be greatly appreciated of course. Whatever the story, Vasil's vocal register is adequate for the True Metal feel of the song and it's fair to say he does a commendable job here. Perhaps "Lunatic" won't be the most staggeringly original display of Heavy Metal you'll ever hear, but it's a pleasant song with a good instrumental section and a reasonably catchy chorus, so I guess most long-haired, big-bellied metalheads will have a good time listening to it.

B-side "Warrior" evokes a different and much darker feel, although the Doom Metal suggestions from some quarters are considerably out of the mark, at least when it comes to this particular track. The idea seems to be more epic than gloomy, with lyrics depicting a fighter who's afraid to die - not an unusual subject for Heavy Metal bands, that's for sure. The song reminds me a little of "Black Candles" from Oz (a healthy comparision, I would add) before changing things around with an intense interlude packed with guitar leads. The vocals (from Julian Konstantinov this time) are deeper and more forceful, and it really adds to the overall atmosphere. Nice track indeed, and you are well advised to give it a listen when you have the chance.

Trotyl (which translates as "trinitrotoluene", or TNT if you like) were already doing the rounds for a while when this 7'' was issued, being formed in 1981 or thereabouts - and it took another while until these Bulgarians would release another record, the "Nosht" LP from 1995. They were never the most prolific of acts though, and I'm sure the difficulties inherent in being a Heavy Metal band under a communist regime took a major role in Trotyl's shortage of vinyl releases. It's a good find if you're want to expand your 80's European Metal collection, although only a minority of us will be willing to pay the considerable ammounts of shekel required to buy such an item.

Vasil Kalpachki (V in "Lunatic"), Julian Konstantinov (V in "Warrior"), Alexander Dinev (G), Ivaylo Dinev (B), Kiril Georgiev (D).

01. Lunatic 4:35
02. Warrior 5:13

Many thanks to Strappado Metal Blog for audio files and 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!

HGB (Henry Gorman Band) (UK-Scotland) - s/t (LP, Balkanton, 1984)

RATING: **

Wonders never cease, really. I must admit I was really surprised when I first found out about a full LP from Scotland's HGB (the Henry Gorman Band, as some of you may be aware), as I thought for a long time that the "Chase the Night Away" 7'' was their only vinyl legacy. Turns out I was completely wrong: the band somehow became a well-regarded act behind the Iron Curtain in the mid-80s and went as far as to issue a debut LP in Bulgaria (!), which was probably the most unexpected place for a Scottish bunch to release an album at the time. The album in question came out in 1984, though most (if not all) recordings were probably made way earlier, in 1981 or so. It's perfectly understandable that even the most obsessive NWOBHM collectors were unaware of the album's existence for quite a while, as Bulgaria was hardly a place to search for undiscovered NWOBHM in the first place. But I have a theory that the most unexpected a find is, the more likely it is to be found - we often find things when we aren't actively looking for it, and you know that it's true, dear reader. No one was really looking for a HGB full album, I guess - not because HGB was too bad to create any expectations (it's not the case at all), but only because no one would have imagined such a development from such an obscure act. And all of a sudden, lo and behold, someone just found it.

Labelling HGB as a NWOBHM act is actually taking a bit of a liberty here, as I don't really think they ever wanted to be a Heavy Metal band at all. Most of the time, Henry Gorman and his partners just try to be a good rock 'n' roll band, which is totally acceptable if you ask me. Actually, "Chase the Night Away" is slightly deceptive, as this undeniably  interesting Heavy Rock tune (augmented with prominent keyboards in a definitely 70'ish mood) is quite different from most of the other songs on display. Following song "Stranger" is much more attuned to what HGB seemed to really have been about: Classic-Rock-Radio oriented stuff that reminds me of Bad Company, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Boston and so on - not in the same league of the aforementioned bands, of course, but nothing too objectionable either. Sometimes they actually manage to sound pleasantly intense and forceful, as songs like "Coming Down" and "On the Run" (despite the somewhat monotonous chorus) make perfectly clear. But these are exceptions for the rule, as the persevering combo (it seems they were doing the rounds in native Scotland as early as 1978) is happy to deliver innofensive, easy-going rock tunes like "Keep Off the Grass" and "Too Late to Love Somebody" at every available opportunity.

HGB's eponymous LP is not a bad experience at all, but sometimes the band seems rather unfocused and inconsistent to be honest. "This Time Tomorrow" is a yawn-inducing ballad that attempts to evoke feelings of melancholy but turns out to be just plain boring, while "So, So" is just too dull and poppy for its own good and "Don't Say No" is a cabaret ballad that really have no place in a rock album like this one. Side Two is particularly difficult for more convict headbangers, as only "Daytime Lover" (good guitar work, even though the song as a whole is closer to AOR than anything else) will come to the rescue - and it's not like SWAT is coming to save you from harm, if you know what I mean. The production is pretty basic and the instrumentation, albeit undeniably competent, won't raise any eyebrows in the virtuoso-obsessed world we're living in - even though Henry Gorman himself is quite a capable guitarist, it has to be stated. All things considered, this LP discovery is not one to please most NWOBHM palates, being more suited for long-time collectors rather than newcomers to the genre. I actually kinda enjoyed the ride, but I'm sure most long-haired metalheads will prefer to spend money somewhere else.

Surprisingly, the songs from this studio session were revamped in a recent vinyl called "The Past is Alive", released by ONR earlier in 2014. Most of the tracks are taken from the elusive Bulgarian release, with "On My Way" and "Get Out on Time" being ommited and a song added called "Movin Out". You won't be losing much, as the two missing songs are hardly stand-out tracks from the original vinyl issue, so if you really need to add some HGB to your collection then "The Past is Alive" may be a good (and least expensive) choice. As for HGB, it seems they were disbanded not long after their debut hit the Bulgarian shops, as Henry Gorman decided to relocate to New York in 1984 - a good move it seems, as he made a good career for himself as a session musician and songwriter. He made an appearance with The Far Corporation (something of a Toto offshot put together by producer Frank Farian) and released a somewhat sucessful album with a band called Big Stupid Guitars in recent times, so it seems he kept himself quite busy. Long may his career continue.

Henry Gorman (V/G), Ronnie Garrity (B), John Grant (D/V), Danny Gisbey (K/V)

01. Chase the Night Away 3:53
02. Stranger 4:35
03. Coming Down 2:54
04. This Time Tomorrow 5:30
05. Keep Off the Grass 3:49
06. On the Run 3:55
07. So, So 2:18
08. Don't Say No 3:50
09. On My Way 4:17
10. Daytime Lover 3:52
11. Get Out on Time 3:39
12. Too Late to Love Somebody 3:41

Many thanks to Heavy Metal Rarities forum for audio files and 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!

Is The War Over? (Compilation, LP, Z Block Records, 1979)

RATING: ***

Although it never got anywhere near becoming a target for obsessive NWOBHM completist (and rightfully so), the "Is the War Over?" compilation released by Z Block Records in 1979 was always well-regarded amongst indie rock collectors, as it's the very first appearance of Young Marble Giants - a name that means little to nothing for most rock fans, but that rings a lot of bells for post-punk enthusiasts. This LP showcases eight bands from Cardiff (Wales), most of them operating in a New Wave style - you know, Joy Division was quite a great influence for new bands at the time I guess. Z Block was actually one of the very first independent rock labels in Wales, being arranged pretty much by the musicians themselves, all very commendable if you ask me. There's not much to make long-haired metalheads smile around here, but the musical contents are far from atrocious most of the time, so I think it's fair to drop a few lines about this generous 16-track LP, all bands allowed to use whatever recordings they wanted in a limit of 8 minutes each.

Addiction is a very basic punk rock band with juvenile vocals, opening the LP with pure youthful energy but pretty much nothing else. "Seek & Search" is perhaps the slightly better of the three (very brief) contributions here featured, with a tad more forceful guitar work and a let's-repeat-the-name-of-the-song chorus to match - and it's an almost ridiculously short tune (92 seconds and that's it), so it just don't have the time to become really annoying, which is somewhat fortunate if you ask me. "Stampede", on the other hand, sounds a bit more like typical Rock and Roll in a Rolling Stones vein, but it's a song that comes and goes without even getting close to cause a real impression, and "Violence" is such a predictable song that you can almost sing along to it at the very first listen, as there's absolute zero surprises going on (the basslines are mildly interesting though).

Mad Dog is the closer to Heavy Metal we'll get this time around, although they sure needed some time to hone their technical and songwriting skills. Both "Killer and "Someone Here Must Like Me" are pretty average boogie/rock numbers with a slightly more upbeat delivery than usual - a style that won favour with a fair ammount of bands those days, admitedly, but usually with more accomplished results. The opening riff of "Killer" is perhaps close enough to the usual NWOBHM ethos to justify a mention, but I think "Someone Here Must Like Me" is the most interesting song of the pair - the overall effect is maybe a bit too punky for its own good, but the chorus is better and the song seems more cohesive as a whole. Still, everything is very basic, with loads of enthusiasm but few original ideas going on, so the long pause in Mad Dog's career (they wouldn't release new vinyl material until 1985) was fortunate, as it gave the youngster the necessary time to mature.

I'm not sure that I can actually call Test to Destruction's "Passive" a song at all, as it sounds more like a complete beginner making his very first attempts to extract sounds from a synthetizer, while another individual mouths a few senseless phrases over it. Maybe they were trying to create an avant-garde industrial nightmare or something (and I'm sure some fans of Einstürzende Neubauten or Clock DVA would have this song in high regard as some sort of pioneer), but for me it's just plain nonsense, sorry about that. Following this yawn-inducing piece of ill-advised experimentation, Riotous Brothers closes Side One of this LP with a Punk/New Wave delivery pairing "Airey Neave" with the remarkably brief "No Justice" (82 seconds this time), both reminding me a bit of The Clash in their "Give 'Em Enough Rope" days (not quite as talented as the real thing, of course). The sound production is not good at all (the guitar seems like it was plugged straight into a home soundbox) but the compositions are decent, specially "Airey Neave" - a song that perhaps could appeal to some Rancid fans out there, if they would actually bother to search for such an obscure track in the first place.

Opening Side Two of this LP we have Reptile Ranch, with a single contribution called "Waterhole". After a very confuse intro with a lot of audio effects, some feedback and a few violins (or something), we are confronted with a somewhat meditative post-punk tune without any drums (at least I can't hear any signs of percussion anywhere), carried along by noisy guitars and some Atari-videogame-style keyboards (yes, seriously). I'm not really sure what to think of this track to be honest: it sounds more like a pre-demo later to be augmented with proper instrumentation rather than a finished product, but the composition itself is passable as a whole. Next comes The New Form with no less than three songs in a very New Wave/Punk Rock vein once again. Of the three, I guess "Blockhead" is the most interesting, with a very direct approach and wacky lyrics that are actually good fun. Many modern-day punk rock bands would surely have a good time recording a cover version of this song, I suppose. "Boy" is a bit too simple for its own good if you ask me, but "On the Edge" (the closer to real New Wave territory here) has a slightly disturbing feel that deserves a mention, despite being a pretty basic composition with not a single drop of Heavy Metal trickled in.

I'm not sure what makes a bunch of musicians decide to adopt Beaver as a band name (perhaps pure youthful lack of criteria, who knows), but let's try to overlook this really hopeless choice and set our focus on the two songs they perform here. This is pure pub rock with not much in the sense of individuality or will to experiment, although both "Mack the Knife" (not that one, of course) and "Kleptomania" are perfectly listenable. I'm sure thay never really got a chance to make it big with such a predictable brand of music, but it's all very upbeat and enthusiastic, so let's not be too harsh on the lads, OK? If you're looking for comparisions, it reminds me a little of Speed Limit (as Malc MacMillan also says in his NWOBHM Encyclopedia) - a style of choice that probably worked to great effect at small clubs in Cardiff, but not enough to qualify them as real NWOBHM contenders at all. To close proceedings, the Young Marble Giants - a band that would actually make quite a name for themselves in the post-punk scene. This is the very first studio offering from the group, and the two tracks here featured ("Ode to Booker T." and "Searching for Mr. Right") are very individualistic indeed, with the sweet and plaintive voice of Alison Statton giving some nice nuances to a very basic, drum-machine oriented background. I'm not a huge fan, but I acknowledge their efforts to create a musical personality of their own and I suppose the cult status of Young Marble Giants is more than deserved. I wouldn't reccomend it to diehard metalheads, though.

Although most band included on "Is the War Over?" would unspectacularly plungle into oblivion soon after the LP was out, there's a fair percentage of (slightly) successful stories to be told this time around. The aforementioned Young Marble Giants are now indie heroes, their "Colossal Youth" LP being regarded as a post-punk classic, and Mad Dog would find a career for themselves during the later stages of the NWOBHM phenomenom, releasing an eponymous album as late as 1986 (soon to be reviewed around here, I hope). Addiction never achieved greater things, but there's an interesting biography to be read here, and Reptile Ranch released a couple of singles of their own before vanishing from the scene - guitarist Spike would later work with Alison Statton in two post-Young Marble Giants projects, namely Weekend and Spike (a band rather than a solo project, it seems). You can also learn about these projects in a website dedicated to Z Block Records' legacy. All things considered, I think it's fair to say that, compared to other compilations of the period, "Is The War Over?" was a reasonable success when it comes to give some hopefuls a chance to shine. Not one to give NWOBHM addicts some sleepless nights, but a fairly interesting compilation all the same.

01. ADDICTION - Violence
02. ADDICTION - Stampede
03. ADDICTION - Seek & Search
04. MAD DOG - Killer
05. MAD DOG - Someone Here Must Like Me
06. TEST TO DESTRUCTION - Passive
07. RIOTOUS BROTHERS - Airey Neave
08. RIOTOUS BROTHERS - No Justice
09. REPTILE RANCH - Waterhole
10. THE NEW FORM - On the Edge
11. THE NEW FORM - Boy
12. THE NEW FORM - Blockhead
13. BEAVER - Mack the Knife
14. BEAVER - Kleptomania
15. YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS - Ode to Booker T
16. YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS - Searching for Mr. Right

Extra thanks to Discogs 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!

Offering of Isca (Compilation, LP, Micro Records, 1985)

RATING: **

This extremely rare compilation with an extremely unassuming cover did not really raise any eyebrows among the NWOBHM collector scene until relatively recent times, when someone actually came to know there were some Heavy music to be found there. But it was always a sought-after artefact for obsessive collectors involved with Krautrock, Synthpop, Minimal Synth and similar subdivisions of electronic music - something that, coupled with the undeniable scarcity of the LP, rendered it a very expensive purchase with outlandish prices being asked every time it cropped up for sale. Produced and compiled by Circuit 7 member Martyn Good (also one of the partners in Micro Records, or so it seems), "Offering of Isca" is a fair-balanced compilation when it comes to the most prominent musical genres at the time - there's at least two bands sure to appeal to the NWOBHM enthusiasts (maybe three, if you're a more broad-minded collector), so it's more than justified that I drop a few lines about it.

Renegade Angel's "Hell's Let Loose" is a good enough tune indeed - a mid-tempo track with a driving rhythm and distorted guitars reminiscent of none other than Venom (I kid you not). But don't think we're talking of some Black Metal wannabes around here: it's much more of a Hard Rock-Heavy Metal collision (it even reminds me of Silverwing's "Rock and Roll are Four Letter Words", for instance) that sounds quite amateurish most of the time, although I tend to think it adds charm to the track rather than ruining it. "Classic Offender" is slower and heavier, sounding a bit like Shock Treatment's "Nuclear Warfare" (more dedicated NWOBHM addicts will know what I mean) but still keeping the not-really-professional vibe of the previous number. The final section of the song is more forceful though, trying to give a dynamic feel to the composition, with acceptable results. Not bad really, and Renegade Angel is surely a welcome inclusion into the realms of British 80s Metal.

Prowler is quite an overused name when it comes to NWOBHM, but this is yet another one, being unrelated to all the other ones a NWOBHM addict could number. "Sanctuary" is perhaps the best song of the entire compilation when it comes to Heavy Metal: a reasonably forceful song with simple-but-good riffing and some more sedated parts, specially at the chorus. It reminds me of bands like Sparta and Sabre, being a pleasant composition as a whole - it could have been included in some of Ebony's compilations without being out of place, for instance. I would completely agree with the guys from Corroseum on "Murder & Revenge" though: this one is a very basic hard rocker that actually seems closer to Stooges and New York Dolls than anything more Metal-related. Markedly inferior to the other song they deliver here, but still worthy of a spin or two, I suppose.

Of the other bands featured, The Outfit's "Reckless" is the closer we'll get to Metal territory around here. The guitar work is OK, and the composition reminds me in places of more poppy moments from undoubtedly NWOBHM bands - a bit like Midas' "Can't Stop Loving You Now", just to give you an example. More charitable Metal addicts may even enjoy it (I indeed enjoy it a little, to be honest), but there's a sax making a solo where a guitar should be, so don't get too over-excited about it if you are a purist. "Stealing with the Boys", on the other hand, is a strange Reggae-Metal type of tune (I tell you no lies) where a surprisingly strong chorus appears coupled with yawn-inducing Peter Tosh-like instrumentation in places. It's difficult to make a strong opinion on this song, but I guess most long-haired metalheads would discard it straight away. Personally speaking, I actually kinda like it, so The Outfit gets out with a not-really-convinced but still sincere thumbs-up, just to acknowledge their good guitar work and their will to experiment.

Circuit 7 is a synthpop outfit with more than a passing resemblance to Kraftwerk - needless to say, not exactly a winning formula if you want to capture the heart of a Heavy Metal fan. That said, "India" is slightly interesting, as it seems to have some influences of progressive rock in its structure - although the faceless (and tuneless) vocals leave a lot to be desired. You're unlikely to listen to it more than once though, and "Beat Tonight" is actually pretty risible even for electronic music standards, I guess. The least interesting band here by a long stretch, at least in my honest (but perhaps unfair) opinion.

Finally, we can succintly describe V.o.K. as a surprise package. You can easily live without ever listening to "Lonely Boys, Lonely Girls" unless you are a dedicated Minimal Synthpop collector, but "Nukes of Terra" is a major improvement - even being miles away from a Metal song, it's actually one of the most enjoyable compositions of the entire LP! Its post-punk, near apocalyptical atmosphere works very well and the chorus sticks to your mind in no uncertain terms. It's not a surprise to know that most electronic music collectors want "Offering of Isca" because of this single track, as it's easily the most unique and accomplished composition of the LP, and a remarkably strong offering (sorry about the pun) from such an unknown outfit. It really makes you wonder what these guys could have become if this song was the A-side of a proper single from a more high-profile label... A surprisingly good composition indeed, even more when you compare it to the other (very weak) contribution of V.o.K. here featured.

Needless to say, the bands who took part of "Offering of Isca" disappeared out of sight pretty soon after the LP was issued, with most musicians involved giving up on being rock stars and having (hopefully) very happy and wealthy lives away from the music scene. Circuit 7 was the most stablished band at the time, with two singles released in 1984, but they seem to have become history not long after that - though an LP of archive material called "Video Boys" was released as late as 2009. All the other bands plunged into oblivion after "Offering of Isca", with no individual releases or further compilation appearances before or ever since. Quite surprisingly, Renegade Angel decided to return from the wilderness at some point: they made a comeback gig in 2010 and created a Facebook page to keep those interested informed of further developments. Sadly, there's no updates since 2012, which tends to suggest they decided to lay the band down to rest once again - but let's hope for some further movement from the lads in the not-too-distant future.

See picture scans and labels for further details

01. CIRCUIT 7 - India
02. RENEGADE ANGEL - Hell's Let Loose
03. THE OUTFIT - Reckless
04. V.o.K. - Lonely Boys, Lonely Girls
05. PROWLER - Murder & Revenge
06. RENEGADE ANGEL - Classic Offender
07. PROWLER - Sanctuary
08. CIRCUIT 7 - Beat Tonight
09. THE OUTFIT - Stealing with the Boys
10. V.o.K. - Nukes of Terra

Extra thanks to Renegade Angel 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!