The Tygers Of Pan Tang are a
cornerstone of the glorious
history of N.W.O.B.H.M. as well
as one of the formations still
on the track since then, despite
countless line-up changes and
various vicissitudes. It must be
said that since the beginning of
the new millennium the band has
experienced a second youth, with
good record releases and very
valid musicians that the
historic guitarist Robb Weir has
managed to recruit, starting
with "our" Jacopo Meille, now in
training since 2008. A further
Italianization took place with
the entry of the guitarist
Francesco Marras (of the
Screaming Shadows) who in this
new work, as well as Weir and
Meille, supports the drummer
Craig Ellis, with the Tygers
since the reunion, and the
bassist Gav Gray (although his
post has now been taken over by
Huw Holding).
The EP in question is the result
of concert inactivity due to the
pandemic lockdown, which however
did not stop the band in the
studio, leading it to this
publication containing two
unreleased songs and two remakes
of pieces taken from their
debut, the legendary "Wild Cat
"of 1980.
It starts with the EP's title
song, or "A New Heartbeat",
under the banner of power
mediated by a great melodic
sense that has always been their
stylistic signature. The solo
guitar parts are of great taste,
at times harmonized. The next
"Red Mist" begins with a tight
riff and a greater general
aggressiveness, which without
losing sight of the melody of
the vocal lines is a good
example of how the current
Tygers Of Pan Tang sound: a band
that has solid roots in its
past, but this does not mean
that it clones itself, managing
to obtain a sound that can be
defined as classic but not
nostalgic. As for the
re-propositions of "Fireclown"
and "Killers", songs loved by
fans but rarely performed live,
we can listen to some beautiful
versions that, if they do not
have the raw energy of the
debut, carry on the spirit
afterwards. more than forty
years, and it is nice to see how
the new musicians involved in
the operation manage to give
their mark while respecting the
originals.
Ultimately a good job, obviously
transitory, but which shows the
future potential for this piece
of heavy metal history, which,
if these are the conditions,
will certainly be able to excite
old and new fans.
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