Metalist Magazine's Animal Instinct x 2 Review

You might not be able to teach this old dog new tricks, but who needs new tricks when this one can fu**ing bite so hard?

I've been a fan of British rockers Tygers Of Pan Tang for some time now, not while the band was at the peak of its commercial success during the early and mid-80's, I was too young for that back then, but I did find out and buy their records during the late 80's, at a time when the band stopped releasing albums and all you could find were new collections by their label/s, still – the power and majesty of such classic albums as 1980's Wild Cat and 1981's Spellbound is unchallengeable.

A few years back I interviewed guitarist Robb Weir, and I understood the band was back in action, with a new vocalist – called Jacopo Meille, a year or two later – and a full length album is finally out, their first with Meille – and I can say safely say this guy is the best possible choice this veteran band could have taken.

Rock Candy is everything you'd expect from a song by that name, Tygers were always more American style hard rock oriented than most of the NWOBHM bands that operated during the early 80's, and Rock Candy has all of the trademarks of a good Tygers track – great rocking riffs, solid rhythm section support, and strong, mid-to-high range vocals that supply some necessary soul and groove to the track.

One of the things that were always evident in their music, is the great guitar work, while they are known for featuring future Whitesnake axe-slinger John Sykes in their midst early on their career, Weir has always been the driving force – writing great riffs while supplying some dazzling lead work, second guitarist Deano Robertson is no slouch either – the two supply the same amount and quality of lead guitars we're used to from the band.

While tracks such as Live For The Day come off as happier, more Hard Rock oriented pieces, the band ups-the-ant from time to time, with the two final songs leaning to a heavier, more heavy metallic direction, with Dark Rider being one great song indeed.

The edition of the album I got from the label also included several remakes of old classics such as the great Raised On Rock and the legendary cover version of Love Potion No. 9, and though I can't say they're better than the originals, they're definitely no lesser, the new, updated sound, and the great playing and vocals give the song some nice, updated edge. Another fine edition here was a live in the studio DVD, while not exactly dripping with a budget, there's no substitute for talent and energy – and these guys have it in spades.

So, cutting to the chase, its bloody sad that most of the these great British bands that were so big during that great time during the 80's are now out of the game, while so many talentless, whiny and just plain shitty bands are being centered by the music media in the UK, but the continued quest by bands such as
the Tygers manages to install some hope that somewhere in this sea of stupidity, some good things – never change.

Alon Miasnikov


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