The U.K.'s Savage is one of the original NWOBHM bands and released the iconic album Loose 'n Lethal in 1983. Who can forget the Road Warrior-esque 3-wheel motorcycle rider on the cover? I remember being vaguely aware of the band but I don't think I heard Loose 'n Lethal until much later and by the time I did, I was probably into something else and it didn't leave much of an impression. I'll have to see if I still have a copy hanging around here somewhere...

Anyway, the band's seventh album, cleverly titled 7, is a gem of old-school hard rocking Heavy Metal that, if not for the modern production, would not sound out of place following the debut. Original bassist/vocalist Chris Bradley has a modest range (no high-pitched screams here) and doesn't try to do more than the songs need. Founder Andy Dawson and relative newcomer Kristian Bradley pile up some thick, tasty riffs which is what 7 is all about as the solos are somewhat understated. Musically you've got some Traditional Metal anthems like "I Am the Law" and "Speed Freak," Ted Nugent-inspired rockers like "Super Spy" or "Payback's a Bitch" and even an epic in "The Road to Avalon (Sins of the Fathers)", and not one is a dud.

Not a lot of NWOBHM bands have been able to recapture their original magic as well as Savage has on 7. If you think a mix of Rainbow, Dio-era Sabbath, Nugent and early NWOBHM like Def Leppard's first album or the early Tygers of Pan Tang releases sounds good, pick this one up.