Tokyo Blade – Dark Revolution
Dissonance Productions
Release Date: 15/5/2020
Running Time: 55:45
Review by Mark Pritchard
9/10
Recently, while trying to help get a sofa into my grandma’s house, I suffered an unfortunate foot injury (it turns out feet don’t like getting wedged between a sofa and a gate! Who knew?!). It was pretty darn painful! the next day, as I rested my leg, I decided that it was the perfect chance to listen to one of the new albums I’d asked for to review from Ever Metal! My choice that day, and since, has been “Dark Revolution” by long standing British heavy metal band Tokyo Blade.
Tokyo Blade are based in Salisbury, Wiltshire in the UK and are a New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) band. They’re old hats in the music business now, having been active since 1983, but are definitely still going strong! Since forming in the 80’s they have put in a lot of hard work, releasing 7 singles, 6 EPs and 9 full-length albums with “Dark Revolution” being their 10th!
Listening to this album, and looking at when they started, I can’t help but hear some comparisons with the likes of Maiden, Metallica, and Megadeth, but at the same time, these guys have a sound completely their own. Steve Pierce’s drumming drives from fast to faster, and the guitar work by both Andy Boulton and John Wiggins is great. This wonderful guitar work is especially evident when they solo. It’s fast but then it hits the solos and really comes at you more. They blend all this with bass work by Andy Wrighton, which helps keep the main pace of songs going, and the very clean vocals of Alan Marsh, to create one hell of a band!
“Dark Revolution” is full of great songs, but I if I had to choose a standout it would be ‘Perfect Enemy’. From start to finish it keeps the same tempo, but near the start of the song it has a great solo which drew me in. As the song progresses, we’re treated to another beautiful solo. And as if that wasn’t enough, the vocals are amazing!
I have listened intently to this album and have thoroughly enjoyed it! I would easily recommend this album to all who are fans of the likes of Metallica, Maiden etc, and especially albums released in the 1980’s, as these guys are just as good as the aforementioned bands, well in my eyes anyway! I know that I will be looking at getting this album myself in CD form when I can.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Story Of A Nobody
02. Burning Rain
03. Dark Revolution
04. The Fastest Gun In Town
05. Truth Is A Hunter
06. Crack In The Glass
07. Perfect Enemy
08. See You Down In Hell
09. The Lights Of Soho
10. Not Lay Down And Die
11. Voices Of The Damned
LINE-UP:
Steve Pierce – Drums
Andy Boulton – Guitars
Alan Marsh – Vocals
John Wiggins – Guitars
Andy Wrighton – Bass
LINKS:
www.tokyoblade.com/
www.facebook.com/tokyobladeUK/
www.twitter.com/TokyoBladeUK
www.open.spotify.com/artist/6F9tjDKhGtXlm9M4s30KD5
www.youtube.com/channel/UCqRqQCo6nokjRQ8M_wYy7DA/videos
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Mark Pritchard and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.