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.
