Sphinx was a short-lived band from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal days forming in 1982 and splitting the following year without any material released at the time. Perhaps being based in deepest Cornwall may not have helped them being so far away from the bright lights of London.
The band arguably most notable for the excellent Dixie Lee on drums with Sphinx being one of the bands Dixie played with after Lone Star disbanded a few years earlier.
A seven song demo session was made in early 1983 and now some four decades later those top types from Obscure NWOBHM Releases have done what they do so well pulling yet another rabbit from the metaphorical hat unearthing that session and putting it out on one of their limited edition CD runs together with a couple of live songs.
Excellent stuff it is too with Dixie Lee’s drumming a particular highlight. And it can be viewed (or should that be listen to……) as a reminder of how good a drummer Dixie was given he sadly passed earlier this year.
Rock City is a solid, straight ahead punchy rocker with a typical NWOBHM feel to it. Chunky riff, fast paced, nice solo if perhaps a little rough and ready (this was a demo session remember) though showing plenty of promise.
Hell Through My Eyes steps it up with a powerful opening salvo giving way to a slower moody mid-section before it builds up again in to quite a crescendo for the closing out third of the song. Some tasty guitar work going on too.
Out of My Life and Stranger mix it up straying in to a sort of heavy reggae swagger to them with some nice funky bass lines worked in without losing the general rock feel. A couple of songs which grow on you significantly when the penny drops.
Run for Your Lives back to more traditional territory featuring a strong riff, melody and an infectious chorus.
Love Rules – written and sung by Dixie – is another grower which wouldn’t have been out of place on Lone Star’s Firing on all Six.
The live recordings of Hard Lovin Woman and Lovestruck come over as a powerful couple of songs both with some schredtacular guitar going on and Dixie squeezes in a brief drum solo. Excellent stuff.
Here’s Rock City to have a listen to:
Much more the Sphinx than a NWOBHM obscurity. More than worth checking out if you can get your hands on one of the 600 CDs.
Bagged mine from Obscure NWOBHM Releases directly. As I post this, they are showing availability as are Sonic Age Records. Links below:
https://onreleases.bigcartel.com
https://www.sonicagerecords.com