Tag: tank

This was the Tank’s follow-up to the quite successful Filth Hounds Of Hades, and both were released in ’82. Often called Motorhead-lite, mainly due to the fact A) they were a three piece and more importantly, and B) Lemmy had taken them under his wing as he was buds with Algy Ward.

Listening now after such a long time, the one thing that hits you is how flat the production is. Walking Barefoot Over Glass opens up the album and this is as close as they came to writing a single, as the hook and chorus are quite catchy. Pure Hatred has a great riff and groove, it’s just screaming out for a fuller sound.  Algy certainly knew how to write a tune as Biting And Scratching has a really cool riff, and fairly bounces along. Some Came Running has a riff that reminds me of an old Budgie tune; lots of key changes ages, a very un-metal sounding track. T.A.N.K. closes out Side 1 and this is as close as they get to a Motörhead sound.

Used Leather opens up Side 2 and this is an archetypal NWOBHM song. The riff and sound just scream 1980. Not the best version I’ve heard of The Osmonds’ Crazy Horses is next up, and again the main problem is the production. Another classic sounding period tune is up next with Set Your Back On Fire. Red Skull Rock is full on Motorhead-lite with Algy copying that bass sound. The album closes out with the title track and my favourite. With the opening line of “hold on to your toupees,” it has to be a winner.

As I have mentioned a couple of times, the production let’s this album down and it would have been a killer record with a decent producer.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

This is the band’s third release, and was also the third album to be released on the fledgling UK label, Music For Nations. The band also expanded the line up to a four piece with the addition of a second guitar player, Mick Tucker. This would turn out to be a nightmare for band founder, Algy Ward, much later on with two versions of the band doing the rounds. Algy’s trademark Lemmy style vocals are still there, but this time the songs have a lot more melody present (whether this was Tucker’s influence or management, who knows?), but this was the best album the original band did.

Right from the opening track, Just Like Something From Hell, you can hear the songs are longer and more intricate. The production is more polished and Tucker’s guitar playing is a definite upgrade. His solo on Hot Lead Cold Steel is very UFO. I love the riff and groove to the title track, it’s NWOBHM at its best. This is a real catchy record, and If We Go Down Fighting will get the head a nodding and the toe tapping – the hook and chorus is a total earworm. Last track, Echoes Of A Distant Battle, is quite possibly the best thing the band have done.

If you are a fan or a collector of NWOBHM, then you should definitely have this in your collection.

9/10 from The Grooveman.