Various Artists
WINDS OF TIME: THE NEW WAVE OF BRITISH HEAVY METAL 1979-1985
CHERRY RED/HNE
YOU’RE NEVER TOO COOL FOR THE OLD SCHOOL, FOOL!
THE NEW WAVE
Of British Heavy Metal was a diverse and somewhat eccentric rabble of UK-based hard rock and heavy metal bands, many of whom existed for years before the NWOBHM acronym was first unveiled by the press in 1979. Its enduring influence is unquestionable, but the way some posturing purists talk about it now, you would think that every band that emerged from it produced nothing but solid gold. In reality, and as Winds Of Time demonstrates brilliantly, the NWOBHM was every bit as hit and miss as any other subgenre you might mention. When it was great, it was truly great. When it wasn’t… well, there is a good reason why some of the bands on this three-disc set are not household names.
Despite the expected absence of Iron Maiden and
Def Leppard, both of whom outgrew and transcended the scene before it had really started, Winds Of Time is easily one of the most comprehensive and smartly compiled NWOBHM compendiums to date. From esteemed heavyweights Saxon, Venom, Diamond Head and Angel Witch through to cult favourites Satan, Jaguar and Witchfynde, the very best of the era is proudly represented. Whether it’s the turbocharged glam rock of Girlschool’s Take It All Away, Raven’s snotty prog metal epic, Tyrant Of The Airwaves, White Spirit’s Deep Purple-saluting Midnight Chaser or the shrapnelbattered punk’n’roll of Warfare’s Metal Anarchy, it’s nearly all great. No one with an ounce of self-respect regards the likes of Dark Star, Ace Lane or Badge as seminal bands in metal’s evolution, but even the most naïve and half-baked tracks here have great energy and bullish charm. The result is a satisfyingly honest retrospective that shines an adoring light on the NWOBHM’s imperfect but undeniably significant contribution to the music we love.
FOR FANS OF: SAXON, METALLICA, MOTÖRHEAD
DOM LAWSON