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With a name like Tailgunner, you are almost assured of some Maiden-esque traditional metal and that is certainly the case with this new band from the U.K. As for the quality of their product, the fact that Nuclear Blast has picked up their Crashdive EP for a CD release speaks volumes. Opener "Shadows of War" has a pitch-perfect Maiden riff and twin harmonies supporting the slightly gritty but clear singing. Things change with the next couple of tracks, "Guns for Hire" and "White Death" as Tailgunner ramp up the tempos and add high-pitched vocals on the choruses for a heavy/power metal sound that should have Riot fans singing along. "Revolution Scream" and "Crashdive" are back to the anthemic metal of "Shadows of War." Every song is catchy and air-guitar worthy, so even though this is a young band, they are dialed in on a formula that should work well for them in the future. Fans of the kind of music found on Maiden's Somewhere in Time and Riot's Thundersteel should be checking out Tailgunner at their earliest opportunity.