Back in the original New Wave of British Heavy metal days there were a couple of bands wandering around maned Raider. This missive is about the Raider from the Tewksbury area.
They were only around for a couple of years in the mid-1980s and their output limited to a couple of demos – but what a high class couple of demos they were. Punchy, heavy, melodic. Much promise indeed. I suppose in a way a bit like early Def Leppard (think Hello America, Wasted, Overture) before the Leps went all-out Americana and lost that edge.
Anyhoo – digression. Back to Raider.
The good folk at Obscure NWOBHM Releases have complied Raider’s demos on CD together with four live tracks and it’s marvellous. As if it was needed, yet more evidence of the almighty NWOBHM talent pool in which bands like Raider swam in but couldn’t find their way out of for various reasons.
The song writing and song structure doesn’t mess about. Straight to the point, muscular songs around the four minute mark. Full of nice chords and licks, tasty soloing and hooks aplenty throughout.
The opener – Excess – is a fine example of that. Gallops along apace in a frantic way, hits hard, has a punchy solo and a great foot-tapping sing along “do it to excess” chorus. Brilliant. Slightly sleazy.
This is the Law ramps it up a bit with another memorable riff and a more complex structure to it and has a generally heavier feel Have a listen:
No Time to Die, Fight the Good Fight rock along nicely then Lay Waste to the World heavies things up again. Powerful, brooding, dark.
Next up come the four live cuts. All excellent stuff. Especially Beyond the Sea with the gently jingle-jangle lead in before a few clicks of the drum sticks triggers the release of the big chords and were off to rockland again. The song twists and turns nicely too between the powerful stuff and the gentler passages being tight all the way.
Alas for Raider, they became another victim of a burgeoning NWOBHM scene and I suppose too many bands and too few opportunities at the time.
A pity they all couldn’t make it – otherwise Raider surely would have had a better chance than many given the obvious talent displayed here on Darker than Night.
It’s an excellent listen indeed.
Bagged mine from the always excellent Sonic Age Records. Check them out if you’d like a copy too.
Sonic Age Records:
https://sonicagerecords.com/
The liner notes with the CD mention that former Raider members Nick Singleton and Mark Grimmett are active and have a band by the name of 3Sixty and have a debut CD out.
Had a quick listen to one of their songs. Sounds good too. A proper classic rock vibe going on. Check them out too at http://www.3sixtyrockband.co.uk
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