Album review: Tokyo Blade “Fury”
British heavy metal band Tokyo Blade celebrates turning 40 with a new album.
Tokyo Blade emerged in the early 1980s as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) scene. The band was formed in Wiltshire, England in 1982 and released its debut album “Tokyo Blade” in 1983. Now, four decades later, Tokyo Blade has got a terrific line-up consisting of the members from its 80s heyday: Alan Marsh (vocals), Andy Boulton (lead guitar), John Wiggins (rhythm guitar), Andy Wrighton (bass) and Steve Pierce (drums). As a follow-up to 2020’s “Dark Revolution”, a new album called “Fury” is about to be released. The band sounds better than ever before. There are some terrific melodic metal songs on this 15-track album. The pandemic has not only given the band time to record a new album. It has also influenced some of the lyrics on the album. The result is very good if you like melodic metal. Songs such as “I am Unbroken” and “Life Leaves a Scar” hint at the band’s NWOBHM roots whereas some of the other songs are more melodic hard rock. But even the more melodic tracks still have a bit of NWOBHM flavour to them. Personally, the harder side of this band is what is most appealing to me. It is great to see that a 40-year-old band can still deliver music of the same quality as it did on the band’s classic albums in the 1980s.
Tokyo Blade’s new album “Fury” will be released on 21st January via Dissonance Productions/Cherry Red Records.
