Although its roots and influences would stretch much farther, the bands that are loosely bound together under the banner the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (or NWOBHM), flourished across the UK between 1979 and 1985. Spearheaded by the likes of Diamond Head, Saxon and the Tygers Of Pan Tang, as this set illustrates, this underground scene was fertile and highly influential, producing many future rock legends.

Often independently released, some of the bands in this set never made more than one now highly prized and collectable 45 or one-off EP.

Championed in Sounds music paper as leading lights of the NWOBHM scene, this 3CD set kicks off with Diamond Head, one of the first bands to actually release a full album, albeit in a plain white sleeve. Their influence would be far reaching, and Metallica would cover no less than four tracks from this LP, including 'The Prince', featured here, as part of their 'Garage Inc.' covers album. Metallica would also cover NWOBHM band Blitzkrieg, represented on this collection by 'A Time Of Changes'.

A major champion of the groundswell of new HM bands was the north east of England's Neat Records, an independent label that brought us music from hugely influential acts such as Venom, Fist, Raven, Warfare, Jaguar, Aragorn, Avenger, Bitches Sin and Tysondog, among many others. It wasn't all about the boys, mind, as the all-girl Girlschool are represented by their debut single 'Take It All Away', and fellow London all-girl trio Rock Goddess feature with a track from their self-titled major label debut for A&M, 'The Love Lingers Still'.

Before Bruce Dickinson joined Maiden in 1981 he fronted London heavy rockers Samson, featuring Paul Samson on lead guitar, and represented here with the single 'Vice Versa'. Samson had previously featured Iron Maiden's Clive Burr, a drummer who would later play with the band Elixir. White Spirit's 'Midnight Chaser' features none other than future Iron Maiden axe slinger Janick Gers.

Track Listing

• Diamond Head - The Prince
• Fist - Brain Damage
• Angelwitch - Loser
• Samson - Vice Versa
• Raven - Tyrant Of The Airways
• Elixir - Winds of Time
• Satan - Pull The Trigger
• Demon Pact - Escape
• Dark Star - Kaptain America
• Persian Risk - Too Different
• Savage - We Got The Edge
• Heritage - Strange Place To Be
• Girlschool - Take It All Away (Original 7')
• Chevy - Turn On The Light
• Colossus - Holding Back Your Love
• Saxon - Stallions Of The Highway (Live)

• Lautrec - Mean Gasoline
• Hellanbach - All The Way (60 Minute Plus Version)
• Race Against Time - Bedtime
• Stormqueen - Come Silent The World
• Aragorn - Noonday
• Tygers Of Pan Tang - Burning Up
• Axis - Lady
• Witchfynde - Tetelestai
• Vardis - If I Were King (N.E.W. Version)
• White Spirit - Midnight Chaster
• Jaguar - War Machine
• Brooklyn - Two Wheels
• Rock Goddess - The Love Lingers Still
• Atomkraft - Pour The Metal In
• Black Rose - Nightmare
• Girl - Heartbreak America
• Tokyo Blade - If Heaven Is Hell

• Venom - Witching Hour (Live)
• Warfare - Metal Anarchy
• Shiva - The Gallery
• Gaskin - Burning Alive
• Mournblade - Anthem Of Chaos
• Ace Lane - Emotion
• Warrior - Prisoner
• Turbo - Running
• Blitzkreig - A Time of Changes
• Silverwing - Rock N Roll Are 4 Letter Words
• Saracen - Jeckyll & Hyde
• Stormtrooper - Bounty Hunter
• Badge - Silver Woman
• Tysondog - Shoot To Kill
• Avenger - Enforcer
• Bitches Sin - Sign of the Time
• Soldier - Insanity
• Satans Empire - Soldiers of War

Additional Details

Label: HNE

Genre: Metal

Run Time: 120 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 07/06/18

UPC: 5013929920507