Originally released in 1985 and recently reissued by Spitfire Records is The Wreck-Age from New Wave of British Heavy Metal pioneers Tygers of Pan Tang. During this time in the bands history singer Jon Deverill and drummer Brian Dick were the only remaining members, as guitarists John Sykes and Robb Weir, along with bassist Rocky, had all jumped ship. Joining up with Deverill and Dick were new guitarists Steve Lamb and Neil Shepherd, bassist Dave Donaldson, and guest keyboard player Steve Thompson, who also co-wrote most of the songs with Deverill. The result was a drastic difference from the riff heavy and muscular hard rock/metal of the bands first few offerings, to a more commerical, keyboard laden pop-metal sound. Depending on your preference, The Wreck-Age is actually a pretty enjoyable album when you consider that it's a pretty different band from when they started out. Somewhere between the sound of Magnum and Icon, Tygers of Pan Tang churned out ten melodic and catchy hard rock tunes here, drenched in keyboards, Deverill's emotional vocals, and some nifty guitar riffs.
It's pretty hard not to sing along to many of the tunes here, especially songs like "Desert of No Love", "Waiting" , "Victim", or the irresistible hook of "Women in Cages". However, there are also some blistering rockers, like "Protection", and the muscular title track, featuring some fine guitar work from Lamb and Shepherd. There's even the cocky swagger of "Ready To Run", which should appeal to fans of Dokken, or even the more obscure No Heavy Pettin' (remember those guys?), and the speedy metal piece "All Change Faces".
Looking back, The Wreck-Age doesn't really stack up when compared to the band's first four albums, which were very good early 80's British metal albums complete with plenty of classic guitar riffs and memorable anthems. But, on its own, it's a pretty decent slice of commercial hard rock, that features some symphonic keyboard work, gritty guitars, and lots of catchy hooks and melodic vocals. Give it a shot.
Track Listing
- Waiting
- Protection
- Innocent Eyes
- Desert Of No Love
- The Wreck-Age
- Women In Cages
- Victim
- Ready To Run
- All Change Faces
- Forgive And Forget
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