New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, Classic and Progressive Rock

Bodine: Anthology Review.

Bodine AnthologyBodine. What a band they were. Back in the 1980s, Holland boasted a number of excellent hard rock/metal acts. The likes of Vengeance, Helloise, Vandenberg et al. Bodine should have been right up there too.

They released three excellent albums in reasonably short order between 1980 and 1983 then that was that. Had they been from here in the UK they’d have been tagged NWOBHM given the time period. But I like my Dutch heavy stuff and that’s good enough for me.

Their stuff has been hard/impossible to find on CD for years without paying stratospheric prices. Thankfully last month (November 2019), Pseudonym Records put out this excellent box set of Bodine’s three albums together with an album of demos, outtakes etc. Simply wonderful stuff.

The eponymous debut album is basically hard bluesy rock though shows not inconsiderable promise. Rock Rosetta has a frantic, punchy feel to it, Backstreet Crawler goes down the bluesy route smouldering away, Freight Train Runnin’ hits hard and Foggy Fantasy is a bit trippy.

For the second album, Bold as Brass, line-up changes saw a new vocalist arrive and a second guitarist added with Arjen Lucassen brining his considerable talents to the show. Bold as Brass is a step up from the debut. The band’s song writing is varied and more “traditional” HM with Lucassen’s riffing and fluid solo/lead breaks adding a touch of class. Everything is up a good few notches from the debut.

Rock Machine is just that. Heavy Rain another hard hitter. Aragorn is broodingly dark, the throbbing Pumping Iron and my pick – Wild Fire Queen  – a proper stormer. Check it out.

Next came that all-important third album. Could Bodine progress again? Oh yes they could.

Three Times Running sees Bodine stepping up further with an album of pure class. The abrupt opener – Shout – is anthemic. Battlefield has a bit of a Lizzy tinge. Black Star Risin’ a monster hook. The Force is epic. Two strenuous instrumentals too both frantic apace in Below the Belt and Rampage.

Bodine should have been huge. All the evidence you need to see (or rather hear) that is present on all three albums.

BODINE ANTHOLOGY ON AMAZON HERE

P.S: Check out Jan’s Bodine tribute site at http://www.regularrocker.nl/ – lots of Bodine history there.

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