Back in the early eighties when the New Wave of British Heavy Metal was in force, there were various bands flying the flag for British rock music. While Iron Maiden and Saxon went on to achieve worldwide acclaim and and Metallica’s constant championing of Diamond Head meant that band’s place in the rock history books was assured, Praying Mantis – at least by direct comparison – have never really been given their full due. Their debut album, 1981’s ‘Time Tells No Lies’, is highly praised among rock fans who purchased it at the time of release and the subsequent albums showed founding members Tino and Chris Troy to be a pair whom liked a strong sense of melody within their metal. For a lot of people, however, Praying Mantis will often (if not always) be a band best associated with vocalists Paul Di’Anno and Bernie Shaw, both of whom served time fronting the band in two distinctly different eras. While Paul’s time with Iron Maiden is well documented, like most of his other works, his time with Mantis barely gets a look in. Shaw – later to become Uriah Heep’s longest serving frontman – was always more sympathetic to the Troy Brothers’ style; in fact, his work with Heep on ‘Wake The Sleeper’ and ‘Into The Wild’ isn’t always so removed from Praying Mantis in 2015.
Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews
RUM THIEF – Reach For The Weatherman EP
Although carrying a band name, much like Badly Drawn Boy, Rum Thief represents just one man. It’s the chosen moniker for singer-songwriter Jot Green, a Manchester-based multi-instrumentalist. He served as drummer in many local bands for over a decade, but eventually decided to strike out on his own. The first Rum Thief EP, ‘Clouded Mind’ attracted the attention of a few ears and Green set about forming a band for live shows. A couple of years on, the return of Rum Thief finds the performer sounding much more assured.
THE HOWLING VOID – Runa EP
The earlier releases by Texas-based The Howling Void explore an almost pure doom metal sound – all Sabbathy riffs played at funeral pace, only occasionally lightened by slow piano motifs. For doom fans, each presents interesting listening, but this fifth release ‘Runa’ is epic in almost every sense. The purer doom elements have been tempered by a greater inclusion of keyboard sounds, often lending things a more symphonic style. Yes, it is more symphonic, but nothing here would appeal to fans of those over-hyped, reasonably marketable indenti-kit symphonic metal bands who’ve spread across Europe like a plague. ‘Runa’ isn’t concerned with mixing metal with the embarrassingly twee while some woman wearing a leather corset wails incessantly; fear not – it’s just more a natural progression from previous recordings, blending the doom with a smattering of ambient black metal a la Wolves In The Throne Room. Those who want the huge and the doomy certainly won’t feel like the band has somehow sold out. This isn’t really a band, either, of course. It’s the work of just one man – the mysterious “R.” plays everything on recordings released under the Howling Void name (and he probably doesn’t wear a leather corset). The fact that a one man army could compose and perform a work as complete sounding as ‘Runa’ often does is truly astounding.
SCORPIONS – Fly To The Rainbow
After losing three members following the release of their debut album, Scorpions vocalist Klaus Meine and rhythm guitarist Rudolf Schenker merged with the remnants of a band named Dawn Road. Though the Scorpions name was chosen for the newly formed quintet, in terms of overall sound, their second album credited to Scorpions is a world away from their first. In fact, there are huge chunks of 1974’s ‘Fly To The Rainbow’ where the only recognisable feature is Klaus Meine’s vocal, and even that, in many places, has developed in style.
GODSTICKS – Emergence
Mixing rock and progressive edges on their first two records, Welsh trio Godsticks carved out a sound that they could easily build upon. Given the soaring melodies and atmospheres they’ve proved more than capable – particularly on songs like the lovely ‘Withdrawn Was Giveaway’ – it’s hard to work out why they felt they needed a change of direction. Their third release ‘Emergence’ severely cranks up the heavier edges…and the over-riding sound is that of a grungy hard rock with occasional prog-metal quirks. If you like that, that’s fine, but if you actually liked what Godsticks did before, it’s a crushing disappointment. Gone are the clean lead guitars and any neo-prog string bending; gone are the crisp and tinkly melodies and basically anything that made Godsticks worth listening to…and in their place, a bunch of riff heavy, needlessly repetitive dirges.