Here’s another superb “lost gem” from the early NWOBHM days which has found a release. The band is Tyrant. They formed around 1980 and hailed from the Gloucester area.
And would follow the all too usual template of the times. Huge talent, lots of competition, limited opportunities, a single (the excellent Hold Back the Lightning), line-up changes, a few demos then fading away after a few years.
Such a shame as the songs here – the single together with some demos recorded between 1981 to 1984 – show what talent Tyrant had.
Far from turn it up to eleven, play fast and heavy. They could do that – but they put together songs which of course hit hard though were mature, nuanced and skilfully put together.
Hold Back the Lightning is what I suppose is the traditional NWOBHM style. Big riffs apace, frantic soloing, thumps along well. The other cut on the single – Eye of a Stranger is a similar vein with a bit more “feel” to it.
Then we’re in to the various demos. Starting with the wonderful Take it to the Dragon. Something of an epic here. The gentle folksy introduction gives way to a sledgehammer punch when everything kicks in.
The next six minutes or so meander back and forth between the folksy bits and the hard stuff fitting in excellent guitar work and a big vocal. Superb.
Have a listen.
https://youtu.be/zJTyLqsK4oo
Dragon is perhaps the highlight – though that takes nothing away from cuts such as Captured, We’ve Surrendered and another particularly memorable one in Mirror.
Tyrant had the “chops”. Make no mistake. Though with some many bands fighting for recognition as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal took off not all could become a Def Leppard, an Iron Maiden, a Saxon etc. no matter how good they were.
Bands like Tyrant do give testament to what a breeding ground NWOBHM was and the amount of talent which abounded.
>> TYRANT HOLD BACK THE LIGHTNING ON AMAZON HERE <<
It’s superb stuff and most certainly recommended.
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