Dave's top 50 best NWoBHM songs... AND NUMBER ONE IS....

Here's an awesome Hell video:



They made it for the B-side of the Save Us From Those Who Would Save Us single. It's an amazing song, and the weird video really fits the song. Sure, the video is rather cheesy, but hey, what do you expect if your budget is one bottle of cider.

I have loved this thread great job Dave The Boss!

manny wrote:

I have loved this thread great job Dave The Boss!

Seriously! So much great MEHTUL on this list.

Great music but something in the vocals kills this for me.

The vocals are definitely an acquired taste. I love 'em.

Next update will be up either tonight or tomorrow. I'll make sure the thread gets updated more often.

7. Satan - Trial By Fire
"Court in the Act" LP

Another really hard choice! Satan's debut album is one of the best heavy metal albums ever recorded in my opinion. What's not to like about their brand of thrashy powerful heavy metal? I've always regarded the guitar team of Russ Tippins and Steve Ramsey as one of the finest in history, and it's easy to hear why in this song. Just listen to the riffs... the riffs! This song is just explosive (fitting considering the lyrics, which are about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima). Every single part about this song is simply perfect, from the vocals to the heavy rhythm section to the awesome guitar playing. Actually, this song features one of my favorite moments in music ever. The part around the 1 minute mark ("Down in their sanctuary...") ALWAYS give me goosebumps. It's just pure brilliance. And to make things even better, the whole album is absolute genius! It's a gem that's on par with Maiden's finest albums. But I digress, back to Trial By Fire. It's good. Listen to it. Now.

One of the best out there. While not mentioned much, I think their influence was huge.

6. Omega - The Child
"The Prophet" LP

I wrote a review on this album here last year. It should still be somewhere in the Hurting Words part of the forum. Anyway, Omega were the successor to Apocalypse, an amazing band that unfortunately never released more than a three track demo tape (including an earlier version of this song) and a 7" single. They changed their name to Omega and released the full length album The Prophet in 1985.

Omega's brand of metal is kind of hard to describe, as they combine heavy galloping Maiden-ish sections with trippy, proggy stuff. Very progressive! And thankfully the whole album is killer. However, the best song is the album closer, the majestic The Child. Like Saracen's Heroes, Saints & Fools, it's pretty hard to talk about the song. It's an experience, nothing more, nothing less, and I absolutely love it. Pure audial perfection!

P.S. The two Apocalypse recordings I mentioned in the first paragraphs have just been released on a 12" vinyl EP. If you're interested in one I can send you the address of the label. Essential listening for everyone that loves NWoBHM!

Holy crap, it's been almost a month since the last update! How time flies... Anyway, time for number five...

5. Trespass - One of these Days
"One of these Days" 7" single

Ah yes, the mighty Trespass... One of the most essential NWoBHM bands ever in my humble opinion. Although they only recorded a couple of 7" singles and demos in late 1970s and early 1980s before splitting up, they definitely left their mark on the scene. These guys have a whole truckload of essential NWoBHM toe tappers. Bright Lights, Long Way to Hollywood, Beat of the Night, Make it Metal, Lifebeat, It's All Over, Stormchild, Lightsmith etc. etc. etc. After Trespass broke up the nucleus of the band formed the glam/sleaze metal band Blue Blud, and in the 1990s Trespass reformed as a grunge band (!!) and released a full length album. In 2004 Sanctuary released a double disc Trespass anthology featuring most of the songs they ever did. Even though it's missing classic heavy rockers such as Don't It Break Your Heart, Beat of the Night and I'm on the Outside, it's still extremely essential, and one of my favorite discs in my collection.

Now then, on to One of these Days. This song is just pure heavy rock perfection, and simply put one of my favorite songs of all time. It was actually a minor hit in the UK when it was released in 1979. Not that that's all really a surprise, since it's one of the catchiest songs ever conceived. Everything about this song is just perfect. Just listen to it. Talking about it just doesn't cut it.

I can't believe that you're only 19 years old, man!

kmorg wrote:

I can't believe that you're only 19 years old, man!

No kidding!!! Dave the Boss how did you discover all these obsure bands, the internet, older brother, maybe your dad?

What ever the case maybe very cool list and between you and Rattpoison I have discovered many many bands.

I found out about most of these bands through the internet actually, and by trading CD-Rs. My older brother and sister got me into metal when I was around 7 years old, but after a couple of years they got bored with it and started listening to other music. Fast forward twelve years and I'm still into the good stuff, haha.

On a side note, I just realized that the version of One of these Days I featured in my post is the wrong one. They recorded it at a later date for a compilation LP (I think it was Metal for Muthas II, but I'm not sure). This is the original 1979 single version:

Alright dude, Trespass is a great band. Those getting into the retro sound owe it to themself to check them out.

Amazon has the Anthology for about $20. Not bad for a 2 disc set.

TheNazgul wrote:

Amazon has the Anthology for about $20. Not bad for a 2 disc set.

I'd definitely get it if I were you. I got it when in 2005 or 2006 or something, and I still play it regularly. My only gripe with it is that it misses Beat of the Night, which is one of my favorite Trespass songs. Here are some more songs that are on the double disc anthology:



Has the song Lightsmith playing, despite the weird title.



The sound quality here is significantly worse than on the compilation.



Next review will be up tomorrow I think.

4. Cloven Hoof - Astral Rider
"A Sultan's Ransom" LP

Okay, I'm gonna cheat a little here. Cloven Hoof were formed during the original NWoBHM, but A Sultan's Ransom, their finest moment, was released in 1989. So does it still count as NWoBHM? I don't care, since it's one of the best heavy metal platters ever to be released. Every single song on this album is just pure perfection, with opener Astral Rider being one of my favorites. The song's start is kinda strange, but it quickly turns into a massive power metal track that you'll never forget.

Trivia: Cloven Hoof singer Russ North auditioned for Maiden after Bruce left, and eventually made it to the last two.

Here's a video of Cloven Hoof's song Highlander:

Awesome track. Also really like Laying down the Law.

On a side note, I just realized that the version of One of these Days I featured in my post is the wrong one. They recorded it at a later date for a compilation LP (I think it was Metal for Muthas II, but I'm not sure). This is the original 1979 single version:


I have another version, very similar. Top song, play this in our band too!

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=104161487

I love Sultan's Ransom. Probably one of my favourite NWOBHM records of all time. I wish Cloven Hoof would reissue that along with "The Dominator". Not just re-record tracks from it.

3. Jameson Raid - Seven Days of Splendour
"Seven Days of Splendour" 7"

Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, many of their peers considered Jameson Raid one of the finest bands of that period, and it's not too hard to see why. Their debut release, 1979's Seven Days of Splendour, is a PERFECT single in every sense of the word. All three songs on it, Seven Days of Splendour, It's a Crime and Catcher in the Rye, are just absolutely perfect. It just blows my mind that they were never picked up by a major label.

Seven Days of Splendour itself is just an absolute monster of a song. When that weird opening riff kicks in you just know you're in for a treat. And that chorus... that chorus! If only they still made 'em like this...

If you'd like to hear more by these hear fellows, American label Shadow Kingdom Records released a 14 song anthology called "Just as the Dust had settled" last March. I haven't heard it yet, but I know it features the 1979 single, the 1980 EP, the 1982 demo and unreleased stuff.

Just had to include this track too. Bloody hell, is this stuff good or what?

Yeah, Timbo hit the jackpot with the Jameson Raid release - great compilation!

You should have MAMMOTH on your list. Nicky Moore is THE best NWOBHM singer, period:

Wow! That is one serious drum set in that Mammoth 'Fat Man' video.