Description

Genre: NWOBHM
Origin: UK
Tracklist:
1. Legend – Hideaway 3:44
2. Legend – Heaven Sent 3:28
3. Praying Mantis – Praying Mantis 3:23
4. Praying Mantis – High Roller 3:11
5. Mythra – Death and Destiny 3:48
6. Mythra – Killer 3:13
7. Mythra – Overlord 2:01
8. Mythra – U.F.O. 3:08
9. Hollow Ground – Flying High 2:56
10. Hollow Ground – War Lord 2:20
11. Hollow Ground – Rock On 3:07
12. Hollow Ground – Don’t Chase the Dragon 3:49
13. Angel Witch – Loser 2:50
14. Angel Witch – Suffer 3:25
15. Angel Witch – Dr. Phibes 2:51
16. Gaskin – Mony Mony 3:22
17. Gaskin – Queen of Flames 3:28
18. Heritage – Strange Place to Be 3:40
19. Heritage – Misunderstood 3:27

Check all samples:  http://17329745.tistory.com/entry/NWOBHM-Metal-Rarities-Vol-1

One of the best NWOBHM compilations on the market. A really thoroughly researched compilation documenting the NWOBHM phenomenon’s rarer out reaches. 19 tracks licensed from rare and hard to find New Wave Of British Heavy Metal songs. This LP will appeal to all metal fans, and aficionados. This is for everyone into rock music history and anyone interested in British music – and culture history. Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Judas Priest and Saxon all got signed by majors and sold records galore, meanwhile bands in every village across England formed. Inspired by the energy and DIY attitude of the punk scene these acts recorded and released their records all on their own. The music heard on this LP has been treasured by NWOBHM connoisseurs.

Most compilations are usually a mixed bag, with maybe a few good songs and more than your fair share of mediocre to bad ones. “NWOBHM Rarities Volume I” on the other hand is awesome nearly from beginning to end. I fell in love with the NWOBHM through Lars Ulrich and Geoff Barton’s essential “NWOBHM: ’79 Revisited” compilation from 1990, and ever since I’ve been obsessively trying to piece together any releases I can from this lost era that, I believe, produced what still stands as some of the best music ever made. Finding old NWOBHM on CD at a reasonable price (if at all) is usually anything but easy though, and this “NWOBHM Rarities” compilation is no easier to come by. I paid a high price for my used copy, and it was one of the last ones left on Amazon. As I type this review, there are currently no copies for sale here. So, the question arises, was it worth it. The answer is an unequivocal YES!

The band that clinched my decision to buy this CD was HOLLOW GROUND, who I first heard on the aforementioned “NWOBHM: ’79 Revisited” compilation, which featured their track “Fight with the Devil,” which was originally on the “Roksnax” compilation from 1980. I believe this to be not just one of the best tracks on that compilation, but one of the best songs of all time. So, when I read on Wikipedia that this “NWOBHM Rarities” compilation being reviewed was the sole digital pressing ever for their ultra-rare “War Lord” 7″, issued by Guardian Records in 1980, I knew I had to have it.

Instead of reviewing every single track and band on this compilation, I’m going to review what were for me the highlights. To start with HOLLOW GROUND, I was not disappointed in the least when I heard what I got for my money. “War Lord” was only pressed in a mere 500 copies even when it was first out, and now, as you can imagine, mint copies have been known to fetch several hundred dollars. Hearing it you can see why. Just striking, distinctive metal featuring the beyond awesome high wire chord progressions of guitarist Martin Metcalf. Their masterpiece here is the title track to the 7″ “War Lord,” which is fast and ultra-melodic, with a chorus to die for, bringing to mind vintage SWEET SAVAGE. MYTHRA are an enigma because the four tracks included here, from the “Death and Destiny” EP, were apparently the only songs the group ever released. This is a shame, because they were brilliant. Just fast, mind blowing NWOBHM in the classic style that hinted at the output of Raven and Jaguar. Only, as this EP was originally released in 1979, they may have predated both. Another new discovery for me was HERITAGE. I had previously never even heard of them, but I am super impressed by this debut single included here “Strange Place to Be,” which was issued by Rondolet in 1981. Just classy, traditional and raw metal with great vocals, riffs and a ton of energy. While I don’t care much for the GASKIN cover of “Mony Mony,” the B-side “Queen of Flames” from 1982 is an excellent guitar-driven track that seems to be heavily influenced by Judas Priests seminal “Screaming for Vengeance” LP, which was perhaps the THE metal masterpiece full-length of 1982. Two bands on this compilation that I already owned material by before purchasing this are PRAYING MANTIS and ANGEL WITCH. PRAYING MANTIS offer two excellent cuts from their pre-debut LP 7″ from 1980. The title track for the band “Praying Mantis” is a hard driving anthem, heavier than what the band is usually known for. “High Roller” is an extremely catchy melodic number with a great chorus that was written by one of the bands pals formerly in Iron Maiden. Finally, this disc contains ANGEL WITCHs “Loser,” off of the 1981 EP of the same name, a song I originally overlooked when hearing it featured as a bonus track on Castles reissue of the Angel Witch debut LP. I didn’t previously consider myself to be the absolute hugest Angel Witch fan (as compared to some of their NWOBHM counterparts), but the catchiness of this song and the talent on display is undeniable.

This CD features good liner notes on each band and a picture of the covers of each 7″ here (except for the HOLLOW GROUND, which was originally released with most copies missing the cover). It succeeds because it is not so much a compilation of specific tracks as it is a collection of extremely rare NWOBHM 7″s in their entirety, and all from the golden years for the scene, 1979-1982. The sound quality seems to suggest that all of the material was transferred straight from the original vinyl for each recording. While I don’t think anything here was remastered, each song seems true to the original mix and therefore very honest and real. All in all, if you consider yourself to be a NWOBHM aficionado, as I am, you can’t go wrong in purchasing this compilation, which includes some of the best bands from this bygone era that produced some of the best music ever to be made.