And yet another example of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal longevity and interest. I’ve been sent a press release about the re-issue of the classic Battleaxe album ‘Power From The Universe’. It’s been given the works too (including bonus tracks) by the label as you can read from the release below.
Steamhammer/SPV Records are set to re-release legendary NWOBHM band Battleaxe’s second album, ‘Power From The Universe’, originally issued in 1984, as a 30th Anniversary high class digipak CD, on December 1st.
‘Power From The Universe’, which has been digitally re-mastered, will include four rare bonus tracks, recorded at Neat Studios in the mid-Eighties – ‘Killer Woman’, ‘Radio Thunder’, ‘Loves On Fire’ and ‘Love Sick Man’ – and comes with new liner song notes, plus extra never-been-seen-before photos, taken from those heady early days.
Battleaxe emerged from Sunderland in the late 70’s, roughly melding Motorhead, AC/DC and Judas Priest, and singing songs about playing live, driving cars, shagging birds and mediaeval warfare. After starting out with the name Warrior, they morphed into Battleaxe sometime in early 1980. The band consisted of Dave King (vocals), Brian Smith (bass), Steve Hardy (guitar), and Ian Thompson (drums). After playing around the area and honing down their live chops, they entered the studio to put down their acclaimed debut studio album, ‘Burn This Town’ in 1983.
‘Power From The Universe’, a more refined and mature album, recorded with new drummer Ian McCormack, was even better received than ‘Burn This Town’, and support slots with the likes of Saxon, Anvil, Madam X, and Twisted Sister ensued.
But Battleaxe imploded in the late 80’s, before reforming with the current line-up of original members Dave King (vocals) and Brian Smith (bass), as well as Mick Percy (guitar) plus Paul Atkinson (drums) to sign to SPV to release their much welcomed and lauded third studio album, ‘Heavy Metal Sanctuary’ in February 2014.
Battleaxe’s debut album ‘Burn This Town’ was re-released in December 2013 on SPV. Metal Hammer scribe Greg Moffit stated in his March 2014 issue review that “‘Burn This Town’ is packed with denim-over-leather, meat’n’potatoes metal of the highest caliber. Even the roughshod production can’t disguise the fist-pumping glory and supreme headbangability of ‘Ready To Deliver’, ‘Dirty Rocker’ and ‘Thor – Thunder Angel’. The ultimate vindication though, stems from the fact that today there are hundreds of young bands desperately trying to sound just like this. 8/10”. Now the 30th Anniversary Edition of ‘Power From The Universe’ will, in all likelihood, be even more ecstatically received.
So there we have it. Battleaxe is back….NWOBHM goes on. I had this album way back when though it’s been long lost from my vinyl collection after various house moves over the years. I will be replacing that with this re-issue and hitting the order button right now.