New Wave of British Heavy Metal legends Tokyo Blade show they have the class after over forty years and start 2025 with a monster of a new album titled Time is the Fire. And it certainly shows there’s plenty of fire left in the tank. Oh yes.
We know it all started for the band around 1980 and with their eponymous debut album in 1983 followed by the huge classic of Night of the Blade the following year it looked like they were going to be up there with the best of the NWOBHM crop.
Alas not to be back then as various personnel comings and goings resulted in a split in the mid-1980s.
Guitarist Andy Boulton and the rest of the classic” line-up reformed around a decade ago and have subsequently released some fine stuff – perhaps none finer than this new one of Time is the Fire.
The whole band puts in an individual and collective towering performance over the fourteen tracks. Boulton’s guitar is top notch as is the vocal delivery from Alan Marsh. Well, everyone pitches in to that degree.
All very well written, arranged and performed proper and mature heaviness with atmosphere, power, melody and poise whilst delivering the goods. A big clear production job too.
Feeding the Rat and Moth to the Flame open things up in fine style bouncing along with the big chords, guitar work and well, big everything. Quite an assault.
And the ball keeps rolling on from there and does not stop.
When Boulton and fellow guitarist John Wiggins trade off each other it’s quite spectacular. Not singling out any track in particular (there’re all good….), The 47, The Six Hundred and Soldier On hit hard and The Enemy Within gets all dark and brooding.
Man on the Stair is a cracker too’ Check it out:
Ramesses is a rattling closer to an album which does not outstay its welcome nor include any fillers. Consistently attention holding throughout. Class from first note to last.
>> TOKYO BLADE TIME IS THE FIRE ON AMAZON <<
And don’t miss Nights of the Blade box set of Tokyo Blade’s first three albums from the NWOBHM days.
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