The New Wave of Trad Heavy Metal (NWOTHM)

I would like to start off by pointing out that I don’t usually go for this whole retro thing...revival, rebirth, rip-off (?), as I find it, for the most part, derivative and unnecessary. I mean, what is the point of bands such as Airbourne when AC/DC are still alive (just) and well? I understand that bands have to start somewhere, and I definitely appreciate wearing your influences on your sleeve...but sometimes it just crosses the line into plain facsimile territory. Again, I know that young bands need time to develop their own unique style, but many bands of this ilk are well aware that there is a market for 70’s/80’s style retro rock, and are therefore reluctant to spend too much time trying to find their own place in the rock world. To be honest, if it’s an authentic 70’s rock experience that you crave, you could do worse than to check out the band “Witchcraft”.

Ok, so now I get to the point of this blog. I started off by saying how I don’t usually go for these retro movements (new thrash, new grunge, etc), but I have to say that, so far, I am totally smitten with the NWOTHM. This is basically a tribute to/revival of the British heavy metal sound of the late 1970’s/early 1980’s. The so called NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) scene was forged from the dying embers of the punk movement and spawned the likes Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Diamond Head, Angel Witch, and a host of lesser known (but often better)  bands, who I will come back to later. In recent years there has been a slow, but steady rise in the number of hungry young bands, who have been inspired and influenced by this exciting and important period of metal history.

Two such bands which spring to mind are Sweden’s “Enforcer” and White Wizzard from the USA. Both bands have a shared love of old school metal, but approach it from different angles.

Enforcer have really gone for the NWOBHM vibe, with a sound that is reminiscent of early Iron Maiden (just listen to the song “Midnight Vice”), as well as taking in elements of bands such as Weapon, White Spirit, Sweet Savage, Paralax and a whole host of the lesser known bands from the era. Whether this is by design or purely by accident, I have no idea. It is one thing to write songs and to play in the “style” of a particular era, but to then back this up with the “feel” and “attitude” of the time with such a level of authenticity is something else all together and for me, that is one reason this band stand out from the pack. I can’t recommend this album highly enough. I would have said it was a classic NWOBHM album, but its 30 years late and, er the band are Swedish. Those 2 minor niggles aside, this is an (almost) perfect traditional metal album.

White Wizzard on the other hand, whilst they have also headed back to the 1970’s/1980’s for their influence, it comes, this time, in the form of Queensryche and Judas Priest (among others, obviously). Once again this album not only has the sound, but also the genuine feeling of the period.

Incidentally though, both bands happen to have a song called “High Roller” on their respective new albums....coincidence or just a stereotypical name for a song from the period? I’ll let you decide.

The bottom line is that I am feeling excited by a genre revival for the first time as far as I can remember. This is most likely to be as much to do with my own personal love of NWOBHM as it is about the bands themselves, but long may the NWOTHM live. It is full of energy and passion and is a breath of fresh air in the modern metal world. For all of you over 30’s out there, and for those curious youngsters interesting in expanding your knowledge of where metal came from, I would certainly suggest giving these two bands a try...who knows where it  will take you!?  Maybe you will fall in love with NWOBHM in the same way I did when I picked up a second hand tape from “Oldies” in Wolverhampton way back in 1992. That day certainly changed my life. I was already into metal, but at that time I had little or no knowledge of the importance of the early 1980’s British metal scene, and certainly not of the bands that made it happen.