Unknown Soldier is the sole album from War Machine, a band who were around for a few years in the 1980s during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal glory days.
War Machine formed in 1983 originating in that fertile NWOBHM breeding ground of the Newcastle area.
Given this it was hardly surprising that they’d be signed by Neat Records joining the many other NWOBHM-era bands on that label such as White Spirit, Tygers of Pan Tang, Fist and Raven to name but four.
As for War Machine, they had something of a USP in their ranks with vocalist Bernadette Mooney as back then female-fronted UK metal acts were few and far between. Girlschool, Rock Goddess and Satanic Rites apart I can’t think of any others off the top of my head.
War Machine cut a demo in 1984 which was followed a couple of years later with this debut album titled Unknown Soldier.
The eight tracks come in with a running time of thirty four minutes and they don’t muck about. It’s fast-paced stuff all the way through with the speedy riffs, some quite nifty, energetic solos and Mooney’s powerful vocals which have quite a impressive scope and range to keep up with the pace of the songs.
Each track is delivered enthusiastically and with around an average of four minutes each it’s concise stuff with no self-indulgence. Just honest to goodness heaviness with the requisite NWOBHM trademarks.
Sacred Hold is a powerful opener then the remainder of the album is in a similar vein. Fast and heavy. Here’s Power – which has plenty of it….
An occasional use of a little keyboard work comes in here and there along the way and is used sparingly.
The closing track – Warrior – comes in with a slower, brooding style as an interesting variation on the general theme showing War Machine had some potential for that in addition to the faster stuff.
War Machine didn’t last too much longer after Unknown Soldier. I think a demo a couple of years later however no follow-up album appeared and that was all for the band bar the odd song appearing on a few compilation albums here and there.
Add War Machine to that long list of New Wave of British Heavy Metal era bands which tried hard though didn’t make it.
However with Unknown Soldier, War Machine delivered a worthy album which has now been re-issued on CD via Golden Core Records. Do check it out particularly if you’re nostalgic for the old days or like your metal fast and heavy.
>> WAR MACHINE UNKNOWN SOLDIER ON AMAZON <<
Amazon is where I bought my copy from. The label reissuing the album is Golden Core Records:
https://zyx.de/produkt/war-machine-unknown-soldier/
It’ll be available from other outlets no doubt if you scout around.
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