"This Means War", 
Just
get it, iSOUND.COM.
After the release of two excellent
albums ("Filth hounds of Hades" and "Power of the hunter"),
Ward and the Brabbs brothers recruited a second guitar player - Mick Tucker -
and recorded their third album titled "This means war". With this
album, Tank continued their raw, unpolished but still melodic heavy metal. Even
if the production could be better, there's plenty of enjoyable stuff here.
"Just like something from hell", "Laughing in the face of
death", "This means war", "Echoes of a distant battle"
and "If we go (we go down fighting)" are all high class metal tunes
from the era of New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and if you are a fan of early
Iron Maiden or Motorhead, my guess is that you might find this album
irresistible. Get it and crank it up!
"This Means War",
One
of the best underground metal bands ever!
iSOUND.COM.
These guys are HEAVY! Springing from the late 70's/early 80's underground metal
scene they were found in all of the purist's collections. When Metallica was
still that little known band these guys were assaulting the senses of countless head banging,
beer-swilling ruffians. The first song of the album says it all, "Just like
something from...hell." It is a relentless bounding of guitar, drum, and
bass rhythm. The title track, "This means war" continues in the same
vein driving you into submission. Their multi-album theme of war and military
makes Tank a great musical outlet for those seeking a hard-driving onslaught of
power...I can't recommend them any more than I already have...a must have for
anyone who loves pure, hard metal...
"This Means War",
by Ralph Heibutzki(ALL
MUSIC GUIDE).
Bassist Algy Ward's mob scored a
bull's-eye with this successor to its more rudimentary debut, Filth
Hounds of Hades. This Means War hits the mark with memorable
riffs, vivid lyrics, and razor-sharp production that brightens the sound without
sacrificing the bare-knuckled rock approach. Tank
epitomized the fuzzier,
faster, 'n' louder pack aching for a place in the British heavy rock scene- as its 1977 punk peers had only done several years earlier. "Just Like
Something from Hell," "Hot Lead and Cold Steel," and "If We
Go (We Go Down Fighting)" remain some of the most evocative looks at the
hell of war, a quality that helped Tank stand above its more velocity-oriented
peers. Indeed, the subject hangs over much of the album (except "I Won't
Ever You Let Down"). The band's graphic lyrics leave little to the
listener's imagination (as Metallica
and Motorhead did on similar
tunes like "Disposable Heroes" and "1916," respectively).
Much of the band's lyrical authority stems from a gritty production driven by Ward's
grungy bass and liberal use of the bass drum that so aptly defined the style of
this era. Guitarists Mick Tucker and Pete Brabbs make an unholy racket
that aims to leave the listener breathless and flattened; on this score, the
band succeeded, creating a textbook example of '80s thrash metal.
"This Means War",
Kerrang! July 14-27, 1983 by Neil
Jeffries.
"You've drawn the straw..." sniggered the
grinning Bonutto. "Oh, cheers!" replied I
cringing. TANK have always been a band I've
passed on so I wasn't exactly feeling keen when the
stylus dropped onto the vinyl and I sat back. The
keyboard intro to "Just Like Something From
Hell" had me convinced that the tacky sleeve had
contained the wrong album but 60 seconds later there
could be no doubt. This was TANK
alright! And yet it wasn't. At least not as I'd expected.
Instead of pure trash there was an almost classy(!) touch
to the mayhem straining the speaker grilles that had me
impressed!
The addition of ex-WHITE
SPIRIT guitarist
Mick Tucker for this third album has made a mountain of
difference seemingly. The sleeve credits are oblique to
say the least but if he was hired by Spirit to do the
same that Janick Gers had done... then he must also be
responsible for the Blackmore-esque work etched into this
and most of the others tracks.
Second cut "Hot Lead Cold Steel" is just as
heavy as the opener and with the title track following
hard on its heels the first side really leaves you
breathless. When the dust settles, flip it over and
riotous "Laughing In The Face Of Death" will
rattle out. It's clear come this stage though that
"This Means War" is not going "fill the
gap" after "Rainbow Raising" as Algy Ward
threatened. Mainly because his is not strongest voice in
the world and John Verity's production does not flatter
it. Then a couple of weaker numbers let it down a bit
more. "(If We Go) We Go Down Fighting"
flounders on apretty crass football terrace chorus/chant
and "I(Won't Ever Let You Down)" doesn't work
too well because it seems just a shade too deliberately
"poppy".
Fortunately thought it picks up again for the closer
"Echoes Of A Distant Battle" and in the end
there's no escaping the effectiveness of TANK's attack- however brutal and rude it may be. I
can't condone the Falklands inspired(?) military theme
that runs throughout the lyrics- people getting killed is
not something that should be treated so flippantly- but
the music stands up on its own. TANK have made a new start as a
four-peace that should see any previous "MOTÖRHEAD clones" jibes evaporate
away. And in the process they've also managed to come up
with some fine, convincing rough'n'ready rock. Music For
Hooligans!
For "Filth Hounds of Hades" review
go to
KRILLION'S
METAL REVIEWS webzine.
For another "Filth Hounds of
Hades" review go to
LOWCUT
magazine.