Tygers Of Pan Tang is my favorite NWOB HM band. In the early 1980s, he released three legendary albums: "Wild Cat" (1980), "Spellbound" (1981) and "Crazy Nights" (1981), which met with an incredibly enthusiastic reception. The band had their five minutes and did as well as Iron Maiden, Saxon or Motörhead. Unfortunately, their MCA Records label turned out to be greedy and around 1983 demanded that they perform commercials written by other composers. Apparently, labels were shaking the fate of bands at that time, and if musicians did not agree to follow the proposed artistic vision, they had to fend for themselves, which resulted in frustration and a split. In the later part of the 1980s, the Tigers remained a meager shadow of the past, and they included other guitarists. Singer John Deverill studied acting at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama between 1989 and 1992 and changed his career from singer to actor. At the turn of the century, original guitarist Robb Weir and new drummer Craig Ellis tried to revive the band, but it wasn't until the arrival of Italian vocalist Jacopo Meille in 2004 that they fully managed to revive the band. The new-old band gained a second youth and released four excellent long-plays, filled with thrilling energy and hard rock hits


"Animal Instinct" (2008), "Ambush" (2012), "Tygers of Pan Tang" (2016) and "Ritual" (2019). Years pass, and they still consistently do their job and do not intend to make any compromises. They sound and look great. In May 2023, a new studio album with premiere material is added to their discography, entitled "Bloodlines". Will it live up to fans' expectations? Rather. Except that at least I heard something different from what I expected. I've been looking for it for at least two years, and in the meantime, I listened to the Sainted Sinners album "Taste It" (2021) with Jacopo behind the microphone. After turning on "Bloodlines" I wondered if I was hearing the same vocalist at all, or maybe there was a drastic line-up change? Yes, it did: second guitarist Francesco Marras (Italian) and bassist Huw Holding (British) joined. I also don't remember that Tygers Of Pan Tang sounded as dark and majestic as in the first track "Edge Of The World" with an out of this world music video. Jacopo sings restrainedly, conservatively, a bit mysteriously, but it's still him. In general, his parts on "Taste It" compared to those on "Bloodlines" are like Robert Plant's wailing for modern heavy metal (the exception that makes this remark visible is the o-o-o in the track "Back For Good"). I had to ask Robb Weir if he had discussed with Jacopo the need to stay a metalhead. The effect is deepened by the really massive sound of the rhythm section (headed by the blunt "Believe") - Tue Madsen (Dane) was responsible for the production, known for his cooperation with, among others, with Behemoth, Hatesphere, Dark Tranquility, Moonspell. The new faces also turn out to be metal veterans, because Francesco Marras has been playing Screaming Shadows for two decades, while Huwe hooked up with two other NWOBHM legends, namely Blitzkrieg and Avenger. Another distinguishing element of "Bloodlines" are the front guitar solos. Never before have we experienced such aggressive solos on Tygers Of Pan Tang albums, such as in "Fire On The Horizon", "Light Of Hope", "Kiss The Sky", "Believe". They are not too revealing, but they have a great claw, a barb. You could accuse "Bloodlines" of having a bit of cliché, but it's true traditional heavy metal cliché. "In My Blood" is a good example of this: if you think about it, the chorus couldn't be more trivial, and yet you'd want to see live, as during the chanting "in my blood" fires burst out on the stage. The single "Fire On The Horizon" falls under the speed metal scheme, and yet it works. The semi-ballad "Taste Of Love", maintained in very good taste, is characterized by greater craftsmanship and differentiation. We have already heard the song "A New Heartbeat" on the EP from February 2022, and it does quite well, except that it is a stylistic link between "Ritual" and "Bloodlines". After listening to it, there is one more number left at the end - the interestingly developing, reflective "Making All The Rules". I was stunned when Sainted Sinners ended "Taste It" with "Heart of Stone", I couldn't put it down and listened to it over and over again. Now I feel the same with "Making All The Rules". It is definitely memorable and perfectly crowns the whole thing. While I value "Ritual" more than "Bloodlines", Tygers Of Pan Tang remains a fresh, attractive band with a lot to offer. (4.5)



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