Tank are one on the many NWOBHM bands that never quite achieved the fame found by the top tier of groups in that genre. They showed great promise with their Motorhead influence debut "Filth Hounds From Hades" but were never able to capitalise on their early success,
The band split in 1988 but were reactivated again in 1997 as singer/bassist Algy Ward and guitarists Cliff Evans and Mick Tucker felt that the time was right for the
Tank to roll onto the battlefield once more. The reunion never set the world on fire in the way they hoped and after production of their follow up to 2002's "Still At War" stalled time and time again Evans and Tucker felt a change was needed.
Out went long time comrade Ward and in came had rock singing legend Doogie
White and ex-Bruce Dickinson bass player Chris Dale. It is these four musicians that form the core of the band (aided by new drummer Dave 'Grav' Cavill) on this long-awaited long player
War Machine.
As you may expect given such wholesale changes, this new
Tank is very different from the one we used to know. There is nary a Motorhead, blues infected moment to be found on this release. In fact it appears that getting such a staple of the hard rock scene as
White in the band has inspired the group to take their sound in a much more traditional metal direction.
Indeed in just a few seconds of the stately twin-guitar attack of opener
Judgement Day you will have a very good idea what to expect from this album. It's easily comparable to later day
Saxon with a hint of
Dio in his more grooving moments.
The
Saxon comparison goes just beyond the sound of the instruments as Doogie
White's voice has developed into a dead ringer for that of Biff Byford. Not sure how a Scotsman came to sound like everyone favourite leather lunged Yorkshire belter but he has managed it.
This is both good and bad for the bands sound, as while
White is on top form there are moments such as on the excellent closer
My Insanity that he sounds so Biff-alike that I was forced to do quick Google search just to make sure there were no moonlighting
Saxon singers involved.
The album continues it's strong start with
Feast Of The Devil. This track has a crunching riff which sounds like it came straight from the axe of Vivian Campbell during his three album stint with
Dio and the verses are propelled along on some very Ronnie inspired melodies. Even the way that Doogie sings the outro could be classed as
Dio-esque.
This may make it sound like the album has no character of is own and to an extent this is true, the album struggles to find its own identity at points. But while it's not the most original sounding record, the sheer power of the well constructed songs coupled with the warm and instantly familiar production techniques will put you at ease and allow the riffs to seep beneath your skin.
Case in point would be the excellent
Phoenix Rising; everyone will enjoy following the journey of this particular bird as it rises from the flames to swiftly soar into Guitar Harmony Heaven. It's one of the lengthiest songs on the record clocking in at just less than seven minutes but the joyous twin guitar harmonies and searing solo's are so well constructed and Doogie's velvet mid-range so elevating that it will seem to fly off into the horizon in a matter of moments.
Indeed, the musicianship on this album like the production is perfectly pitched. Cliff Evans and Mick Wall's guitars intertwine with ease showing that the years spent playing alongside each other have built up a great understanding.
Nowhere is this highlighted better than in the majestic title track. It's by far the longest song on the album and is a regal beast switching from heartfelt, sparsely strummed verses driven along by Chris Dale's bass to a scything chorus riff at the flick of a switch. Again it doesn't sound wholly original as there are many moments that will remind you of Sabbath's Heaven And
Hell but it's so well executed that it stands as a great song in its own right.
Great Expectations changes pace a bit with some pounding double bass drumming and 80's metal meets rock 'n' roll sensibilities. At first it seems out of place but on further listens it works well in lightening the mood of the album after the doomy
War Machine and before downbeat ballad
After All.
Last Laugh picks things up again with some fast riffing and lyrics which demand you to
"Live for rock 'n' roll" and the aforementioned closer
My Insanity hammers home the point that
Tank are back and while they sound different from the band you remember, they certainly mean business.
If anyone is looking for something to brighten the horizons of a
Dio-less metal sky could do a lot worse that check this record out. It's a perfectly formed hard rock/heavy metal release which, while it may not change your life or hold down a regular place in your stereo in the long run, will remind you of the warmth and delight to be found on such a recording each and every time you put it on.
Written by
Stuart Sunday, December 5, 2010
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