Company: Fastball Music Release: 2011 Genre: Traditional Reviewer: EC
Pales in comparison to the original
Looks like this is just about the full band intact that wrote and recorded the classic "Tokyo Blade" from 1982. This staple of NWOBHM really has puzzled fans since day one with collectors and metal esteemed both thinking the band is from Asia. This is valid British metal that was off and on for three decades, highlighted by the trio of "Tokyo Blade", "Night Of The Blade" and "Blackhearts & Jaded Spades". "Thousand Men Strong" is definitely not capturing the same success as the holy trio but still a decent weigh-in with today's more lighthearted fare. The new kid is okay on the mic and the strings still burn hot. Maybe the band are kicking off decade four with rejuvenation and dedicated focus. Who knows what the driving force is at this point...creative impulse, nostalgia or maybe it is just beats backgammon, bridge and other social functions at age 60. This could have left off the reworking of "Night Of The Blade"...it pales in comparison to the original slice.
About this Writer: Eric Compton // Eric Compton lives in the most haunted city in the world, St. Augustine, Florida with his family and two yorkies. He has contributed to MaximumMetal.com since it's conception in 2003. His reviews, interviews and social commentary has been featured on websites like Brave Words, Blabbermouth, Metal Temple, Metal Rules, Ultimate Metal, Metal Maniacs and Wikipedia. You can also find him on his paperbackwarrior.com blog discussing all things action and adventure.
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