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Review: Tokyo Blade - Night of the Blade
Tokyo Blade
www.tokyoblade.com
Night of the Blade

Label: Zoom Club
Year released: 1997
Originally released in: 1984
Duration: 34:17
Tracks: 8
Genre: Heavy Metal

Rating:
5/5


Review online: August 12, 2009
Reviewed by: Hermer Arroyo
Readers' Rating
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Rated 4.35/5 (86.92%) (26 Votes)
Review

Tokyo Blade were one of the classic bands of the NWOBHM movement, and because they came a little late on the scene they're often one of the most forgotten and underrated bands. Night of the Blade is their third album and it was released the same year that their second album Midnight Rendezvous. Like most releases of the era, the quality is outstanding with songs like "Someone to Love", "Unleash the Beast" and the title track the band knows how to make great and memorable songs. Each of the eight songs here has that undeniable energy that you just can't fake, with their catchy riffs and shout along choruses you want to hear the disc again and again.

The musicians are some of the best that I've heard from the London scene. Starting with the new singer (at the time) Vic Wright, he may not be a world class singer but his voice is full of character, I cannot imagine another person singing this. The guitar tandem of Andy Boulton and John Wiggins has nothing to envy from anyone – they make great riffs and terrific solos as if it's the easiest thing in the world. The rhythm session made of Andy Wriggton (bass) and Steve Pierce (drums) complements the band very well. But they don't just do the job, each man provide masterful work that makes the songs significantly better.

The only negative thing that I could find here is the length of the album. At 34 minutes it is way too short. Having said that it could have been at three hours long and it still would have been short. Other than that, I cannot find anything wrong with Night of the Blade but if for some reason you don't like the NWOBHM era, this album won't appeal to you. In the end, Tokyo Blade is a criminally underrated band and this record just proves it, as this is one of the best albums of that era and twenty five years after its release it still feels fresh. It doesn't sound dated at all and that to me is the definition of a classic. Essential.

More about Tokyo Blade...
Review: Midnight Rendezvous (reviewed by MetalMike)
Review: Night of the Blade (2021) (reviewed by MetalMike)
Review: Night of the Blade...the Night Before (2021) (reviewed by MetalMike)
Review: Thousand Men Strong (reviewed by MetalMike)
Interview with Andy Boulton (guitars) on April 9, 2011 (Interviewed by MetalMike)
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