MENDES PREY – The Never Ending Road (official release)
Finally, one of the hidden gems (and best) bands from the ’80s NWOBHM scene have its first ever officially released CD with all of their original recordings, most of them unreleased… until now. We’re talking about MENDES PREY and their compilation “The Never Ending Road“.
Originating in 1981 from Pontefract, Yorkshire in the United Kingdom, Mendes Prey is one of many acts who may not have received their just due the first time around in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene.
From 1982-1986 they released two 7” vinyl singles and made two compilation appearances (the now legendary LPs Parkside Steelworks’ and ‘Heavy Metal Heroes 2’), but never had the opportunity to record a full-length album.
Greek label No Remorse felt the time is ripe to gather up all of their recordings and issue “The Never Ending Road”, lovely packaged and with fully involvement by Mendes Prey members.
The bell chimes and windy soundtrack signals the opening strains of “Red Alert”, the guitar parts giving way to the mysterious, goose bump melodies from vocalist John Seymour – a track that has a lot of Angel With meets Praying Mantis feel to it.
Yes, Mendes Prey were part of the NWOBHM, but their overall sound was always more Hard Rock than ‘metal’.
Mark Sutcliffe as a guitarist has a lot of boogie and galloping tricks up his classic licks – I can tell everything from Deep Purle and Thin Lizzy to Scorpions factors into a lot of his versatile abilities on stunners such as “Running For You” and “Take Me Cross the River”.
The songs never released were recorded with a full album in mind, so the sound quality is great.
“Lone Survivor” has that classy MSG sound on it, “Don’t Shine” owns a bluesy midtempo heart yeat with tons of bite, while “Losin’ Man” brings to mind Ian Gillan solo, a catchy rocker.
Some tracks from Mendes Prey latter era shows the band with a Melodic Hard Rock orientation, as many acts from the scene did in the ’80s, like Tygers Of Pang Tang, Demon or Tokyo Blade.
Just check the lovely keyboard filled “Listen”, a mid-tempo full of magic driven by a great main melody similar to Bronz ’85, or the ultra-catchy “Can You Believe It?”, from Mendes Prey 1986 single.
Also the ballad “Breakin’ My Heart” – with clean guitars and compressed drums, has more in common with the US ’80s FM rock than anything metal.
“The Never Ending Road” is some kind of lost gem compiling the material of a band that deserved better luck. This is classic, traditional Hard Rock with four tracks that will make Melodic Hard Rock fans delight as well.
I’m glad that No Remorse took the time to assemble Mendes Prey material in such a professional manner, as all sounds really, really good and balanced.
A legacy of a golden era that is long gone, but will live forever.
Highly Recommended
01 – Red Alert
02 – Runnin’ For You [On to the Borderline 7” – 1982]
03 – What The Hell’s Going On?
04 – On To The Borderline [On to the Borderline 7” – 1982]
05 – Cry For The World
06 – Lone Survivor
07 – Take Me ‘Cross The Water
08 – Drifting
09 – Don’t Shine
10 – Losin’ Man
11 – I Beg For Mercy
12 – Can You Believe It? [Wonderland 7” – 1986]
13 – Listen
14 – Breakin’ My Heart
15 – Drifting [live]
16 – Flight To Moscow [live]
1, 5: from Parkside Steelworks 2 – Sampler 1985
3: from Heavy Metal Heroes Vol. 2 ’82
Jih Seymour – Vocals
Mark Sutcliffe – Guitars
Tony Boulton – Bass
Martin Brough – Drums
BUY IT !
www.recordshopx.com/artist/mendes_prey/never_ending_road/
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