Reviews: Martyr, Lizzies, Bus

NWOBHM is a tradition in the UK and one of finest exports, band's from all over the world took the NWOBHM sound laid down by Iron Maiden, Saxon and Judas Priest, so here we have four bands from all over the world that have been inspired by one of the most endearing styles in metal. Get your Denim and Leather on before reading!!

First up we have Dutch band Martyr (7), they can be considered to be contemporaries of the NWOBHM scene, You Are Next (Into The Limelight) is their fourth album in career that began in the mid 80's the band split in 1987 before coming back to life in 2011, this is their second album since their reformation and it's full of the galloping, bass heavy metal of early-Maiden, the sound is very authentic with some twin guitars harmonies on the tracks with solos cutting through the noise along with some proto thrash riffage on Infinity and an Anthrax stomp on Inch By Inch. This is music that is very much stuck in it's time but can evoke memories of a bygone era, You Are Next is Martyr continuing where they left off all those years ago. Over to Spain now for the debut album of Lizzies (8) whose debut album smacks of prime period Tokyo Blade and more modern acts like Cauldron, this female four-piece play speedy classic metal, that is a more stripped back affair than Martyr's but all the grittier for it, Good Luck (The Sign) is chock full of quality songwriting from the off with 666 Miles having a tongue firmly in it's cheek, Viper and Mirror Maze are indicative of the rest of the album with feminist lyrics tied with excellent classic metal sound, this quartet can really rock with touches of the legends but their own spin too. Lizzies are an excellent band and their debut is a sparkling slice of classic thrash metal that sees the four ladies kicking the ass of the male dominated NWOBHM scene. Finally we have Bus (7) from Athens Greece who are more at the doom end of the scale with elements of Angel Witch and some Candlemass, they have a proto-power metal sound with low end riffs and some demon conjuring on Masteroid and the bass driven New Black Volume they are heavier than both of the proceeding bands with big slabs of riffage that owe as much to Sabbath as they do any of the bands previously mentioned especially on the creeping Don't Fear Your Demons. Bus is a weird name for a band, I will admit but their self released album The Unknown Secretary (what is it about this band and weird titles) is the ideal introduction to their doomier sound.

As you can see the NWOBHM baton that was laid down at the beginning of the 80's is still be carried now these three bands all have the NWOBHM sound coursing through them but they also show that it can be evolved and adapted into many of the post 80's styles of metal.