Mendes Prey were one of the better bands from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal days who did not get the big break their talent surely deserved.
Active for the first half of the 1980s, plenty of effort went in for little return. A popular live act did not result in much by way of recorded output – a couple of singles and a few tracks on random compilations – without a proper record deal forthcoming.
And that is quite surprising when you look at, or rather listen to, what Mendes Prey were all about. Classy, driving hard numbers with skill and refinement. Lots of hooks, superb twin guitars and a fine frontman.
Back in 2015, No Remorse Records released an earlier version of The Never Ending Road which was an anthology of the band’s various recordings from the 1980s. That’s hard to find these days.
However – top label that they are, they have just released an updated and revised version which has some previously unreleased studio tracks. The booklet has a brief potted history, lyrics and lots of photographs from the old days.
Now, it is stated as being a limited edition CD however I can’t find a mention of how limited.
Eighteen tracks – seventeen studio and one live – each one a classy effort. Mendes Prey could play. Chugging well measured riffs and chords, excellent runs from the twin guitars, nice bass lines, solid drumming and melodically powerful vocals all make up quite the listen.
For an example, here’s On to the Borderline live in Leeds from 1983:
Songs such as Red Alert, Runnin’ For You, What the Hell’s Going On, Lone Survivor, Drifting and many more are all first class, hard and melodic with the fine twin guitar work a highlight as they complement each other so well.
The band’s style would become more “commercial” when a line-up change around 1983 saw guitarist Steve Holt left and they decided to continue as a four-piece. Perhaps the new direction was an attempt to bag that elusive record deal.
Whilst it did not get that deal, the change of musical style in songs such as Can You Believe It and Listen is enjoyable and perhaps a more refined approach to song writing.
The final track here is Flight to Moscow – a thumping instrumental recorded live.
Things came to a close for Mendes Prey in 1986 when I guess they decided to call time after chasing the record deal which never came.
With the chops they had, they should have been huge. Pick up a copy of The Never Ending Road and hear for yourself. Everything here sounds fresh after all these years.
Think a mixture of classic UFO, Thin Lizzy and Wishbone Ash and that’ll give you an idea of what Mendes Prey were all about.
Here’s the link to it on No Remorse Records in Greece:
https://www.noremorse.gr/products/mendes-prey-never-ending-road-ltd-cd
Found it also on Plastic Head here in the UK
https://plastichead.com/artist/mendes-prey
Other options are available I expect if you look around. The blue cover distinguishes it from the 2015 version.
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