VA – Lightning To The Nations; NWOBHM 25th Anniversary Collection (Disc 2)
The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (N.W.O.B.H.M.) was a musical movement that somehow saved – or revitalized if you want – the languishing metal / hard rock scene at the end of the Seventies, and cemented the ’80s sound for the genre during the entire decade.
The excellent 3-CD box “Lightnin’ To The Nations: NWOBHM 25th Anniversary Collection” comprises the origins of this musical scene with the very early works of bands that will rule in years to come.
Indeed, at the end of the ’70s metal music was digging its own grave; Deep Purple and Black Sabbath disbanded and Led Zeppelin near to its end. Besides, Punk was raising its ugly head.
But a new, fresh underground breed of young bands started to grow up at the North of London. This movement consisted of hundreds of acts that emerged from the working class punished at the end of the decade and as a reaction against Punk that was gaining popularity and terrain.
Its aesthetics was very different from that of the musicians from the early ’70s, gone were the hippie outfits in favor to a more street-like clothes, shocking and aggressive, so to speak, leather jackets, tacks, chains and jeans.
And more importantly, their music was more energetic, flesh & blood, from the guts. Iron Maiden and Judas Priest were the first to explode, but many others raised soon, and truly stupendous bands to get major recognition in years to come.
However, a bunch from the scene developed into a much more melodic territory, planting the seeds for the effervescent ’80s Melodic Hard Rock scene in Europe.
“Lightnin’ To The Nations: NWOBHM 25th Anniversary Collection” is a very diverse compilation, including 56 bands and 56 tracks, from classic heavy metal to melodic hard rock, rare early singles much of them for the first time available on CD.
On this Disc 2, we found heavy acts such as Diamond Head, Cloven Hoof, Axis, Saxon (all still active today), alongside the early recording from legendary melodic hard rockers SHY (one of the greatest from the British ’80s scene), Quartz, or Marseille and their terrific single ‘Rock You Tonight’.
“Lightnin’ To The Nations: NWOBHM 25th Anniversary Collection” is a must have compendium to understand the ’80s metal / hard rock evolution, and a collectors piece or rare, hard to find songs.
Appeared some years ago, this 3-CD box has become a collectors piece itself, as it’s out of print with remaining copies being sold for U$S 600 at Amazon. Go figure.
A Must Have
01 – Diamond Head – Lightning To The Nations
02 – Saxon – Motorcycle Man (Live)
03 – Angel Witch – Angel of Death
04 – Vardis – If I Were King – Live
05 – Fist – Name, Rank and Serial Number
06 – Marseille – Rock You Tonight
07 – Quartz – Street Fighting Lady – Live
08 – Atomkraft – Future Warriors
09 – Aragorn – Black Ice
10 – Shy – Give Me A Chance
11 – Venom – In League With Satan
12 – Jess Cox – Piece Of The Action
13 – Tysondog – The Inquisitor
14 – Cloven Hoof – Laying Down The Law
15 – Dedringer – Hot Lady
16 – Axis – Messiah
17 – Lone Wolf – Nobody’s Move
18 – Mammath – Rock Me
BUY IT !
www.amazon.co.uk/Lightnin-Nations-Anniversary-Nwobhm-Castle/dp/B019GL64HG
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