Yet another “lost gem” from the original New Wave of British Heavy Metal days sees the light of day thanks to Sonic Age Records.
This time it’s Phasslayne and their one and only album Cut it Up. Oh, with lots of demos and whatnot too.
Phasslayne were from the north east of England, Tyneside, which back then was quite a NWOBHM hotspot.
The legendary Neat Records from the area signed many a NWOBHM band, which would include the fledging Phasslayne who would record and release just the one album – But it Up before the end came by the sounds of it due to a lack of support by Neat.
It’s a cracking album. Full of no-nonsense, hard-hitting punchy tunes featuring some excellent guitar work (big, crunching/slashing riffs and clever solos) from Michael Maughan. With the bass nicely up in the mix it adds some extra meat as the bass lines are fast-paced too.
Think it Over is a fine example of all the above. The rifferama, speed, power and all the rest of it. Not a little melody too. Picture Me, Don’t Walk Away, Run for Guns, Feels on Wheels etc. all really excellent stuff. Have a listen to Run for Guns for example.
Cut it Up is certainly an album from a band who surely should have gone places and stood above many NWOBHM contemporaries. For me, the only questionable effort on the album is a cover of Elvis Presley’s King Creole. It doesn’t work at all however the other nine tracks more than make up for it.
The demos here are first rate too. The first four (from 1983) have a more melodic edge to them sometimes (Took Her Dancin) then To Rule the World and Mercenary Killers are monsters.
Then we have “Desert Sound Demos” with Don’t Walk Away having a spot of saxophone (!), an alternate version of Minute Man (another killer) and Picture Me.
Finally four more demos, apparently recorded live for Neat. Again, all good proper stuff. Another version of Minute Man included with the excellent Cruzin, an alternate of Picture Me and Think it Over – both songs making the (forgive me a pun) cut to make the album.
Phasslayne sure had the chops and talent. If not, like many back in the early NWOBHM days, the record company support. Now, thanks to Sonic Age Records the world can enjoy the band and have more evidence of how great the NWOBHM scene was.
But be quick about it – this is, as usual with Sonic’s NWOBHM-related stuff, a limited run of 500 CDs. If it’s not sold out, get it here: https://sonicagerecords.com
They have a couple of other re-discovered NWOBHM stuff due out soon – which of course will be reviewed here once the CDs arrive.
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