The South Yorkshire area gave us some fine bands back in the original New Wave of Heavy metal era. Def Leppard and Saxon to name but two.
Here’s one which went pretty much under the radar – Chinawite. Their one and only album from the mid-1980s has just been re-issued by Skol Records and it’s a cracker.
Chinawite formed at the start of the 1980s in my old “stomping ground” of Sheffield.
Back then the local radio station (Hallam) had a weekly rock show and if I recall, Chinawite did a session for the show which raised their profile a bit.
As was the usual pattern in the NWOBHM days, a single appeared – Blood on the Streets – which was well received and would go on to be featured on the Metal Prisoners compilation album.
That would lead to a deal with Mausoleum Records. With Run for Cover released in (I think) 1984. It’s a classy effort too. Chinawite were shall we say more “refined” that many of their NWOBHM-era contemporaries preferring a hard-hitting yet melodic style.
The album is full of well performed and written melodic heavy rockers with big hooks and some excellent rhythm guitar driving things along. The solos punch yet are economic.
Have a listen to the title track. That nice chugging intro before it breaks out in to the main song which for me sounds not unlike something UFO might have done at the time.
The rest of the album is not dissimilar. Nice clean chords, chugging rhythm guitar, driving drums and clean, powerful vocals.
Check out in particular the catchy Slow Train, mean Lookin’ for Action, rocking Take no Prisoners and the monster hook and melody and Midnight Café for example.
Their single is also included here – Blood on the Streets b/w Ready to Satisfy. Both are a bit “harder” than the album.
Alas, one album and out for Chinawite. But what a fine album Run for Cover is. Whilst it might not be what one might call “traditional” New Wave of British Heavy Metal, it’s a really crisp, clean melodic metal/rock which has stood up well over the years. I like it plenty.
Think a bit of UFO, Praying Mantis and FM. That sort of style. Certainly a recommended capture.
>> CHINAWITE RUN FOR COVER ON AMAZON HERE <<
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