DARK STAR – Real To Reel ’87 [Digitally Remastered / 500 copies] *EXCLUSIVE*

As requested, here’s the rare Digitally Remastered version of British rockers DARK STAR album “Real To Reel” (1987), released for the first time on CD by No Remorse Records under license of Revolver Music Ltd. Despite of being reissued only four years ago, it’s already out of print as it was a 500 copies Limited Edition.
For this album Dark Star changed their initial hard rock / NWOBHM style in favor to keyboard laced melodic rock with catchy choruses. It was 1987, and bands like FM, Peroux, Shy, etc where embracing this sound as part of the British AOR / MR wave of the second half of the ’80s.
Now regarded as a collectors cult classic, and considering the original tapes were lost, it’s great to have “Real To Reel” again.

Yes, this is the same Dark Star that had the song “Lady Of Mars” on the legendary second Metal For Muthas LP compilation early in the famed New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) scene.
They put out a killer self-titled debut album in 1981 but disappeared for long enough that most fans didn’t even know they released this follow-up album in 1987 called ‘Real To Reel’.

“Real to Reel” had 3/5 of the Dark Star debut line-up, but listening to it you’d never know it was the same group.
They weren’t the only UK band to go from playing early 80s traditional metal / hard rock to radio-friendly AOR, but the difference between their approaches is striking.

“Real To Reel” has a heavy keyboard presence, rocks about as hard SHY did in 1987 and is as polished as can be. It’s more White Sister than Iron Maiden this time around.
Now I’m an AOR fan, so a change like this is A-OK with me. It’s still hard to square what I’m hearing here with the “Lady Of Mars” Dark Star I’m used to.

I think it was a wrong move the guys didn’t release this album under a new name, because they might have gone over better as a “new” act playing this kind of polished UK melodic rock. Instead “Real To Reel” came and went without much fanfare.
It’s a really good and interesting melodic rock album though, and one serious ‘80s devotees ought to hear.

It’s ironic, but “Real To Reel” original recording tape / reel was lost, and this reissue is taken from one of the band’s members archives. It’s not the best sounding sources, but the only available to make this lost album available again. The remastering engineer did his best.
A collectors item for all UK ’80s Melodic Rock / AOR aficionados.
Only at 0dayrox

01 – Voice of America
02 – Rock n’ Roll Heroes
03 – Only Time Will Tell
04 – Spy Zone
05 – Homicide on First & Last
06 – Stadium of Tears
07 – Sad Day in London Town
08 – One Way Love
09 – Goin’ Nowhere
10 – Two Songs Don’t Make It Right

Rik Staines – Vocals
Dave Harrison – Guitars
Bob Key – Guitars
with:
Dave Keates – Bass
Simon Atkins – Drums
Paul Hodson – Keyboards
Steve Atkins – Drums on 1, 8
Chris Causton – Backing Vocals

OUT OF PRINT