For nearly 40 years, TOKYO BLADE has been a force in heavy metal music. Like many bands from the 80s, their lineup, name, and style has changed countless times since their soft formation in 1983. But in true British resilience, the band never quit. There was always a thread holding them together to continue to push forward their music. In the past few years, the core members of the band have once again come together to continue the legacy of TOKYO BLADE. This year, they have released what they consider to be one of their heaviest albums to date, "Dark Revolution." With eleven tracks on the album, "Dark Revolution" is the tenth full-length release by TOKYO BLADE and shows that these storied rockers can still deliver powerful metal music.

While there are components of TOKYO BLADE's sound that are reminiscent of NWOBHM, I would posit that they would align more closely to classic heavy metal. The twin guitars of John Wiggins and Andy Boulton are in top form. The riffs on each track are heavy and chugging, bouncing between clean chords and rough transitions, with plenty of solo breaks scattered throughout. Andy Wrighton on bass and Steve Pierce on drums round out the instrumental section, each of them executing their components to perfection. Alan Marsh on vocals does an excellent job throughout the album. He has plenty of opportunities to show off his range, though he sticks to a mid-falsetto for the most part.

There are a few standout tracks on "Dark Revolution" for me. "Story Of A Nobody" kicks the album off and shows off each of the elements of TOKYO BLADE to perfection. The guitars are chugging constantly, the bass is moving with the drums, and they deliver one of their best choruses on the album. Marsh, with the help of a bit of distortion, creates a sound that is extremely catchy. Next up is their title track "Dark Revolution." This one is a blistering banger, heavy guitars thumping on and on. This leads to the chorus, which builds the layers up, reaching a powerful crescendo.

"Perfect Enemy" is the last track I want to highlight, for it is great even though it slows down the tempo. It's a bit more relaxed than the rest of the songs on the album, lacking that power and aggression that lots of heavy metal songs focus on. I like it because it fills that need of a ballad without being particularly light or melancholy. I wish more bands would utilize this mindset and do a "relaxed" slow track instead of an all-out ballad.

Fans of old school heavy metal bands like DEEP PURPLE or HELLOWEEN will undoubtedly enjoy this latest entry from TOKYO BLADE. Twin axe attack, thumping bass, killer drums, and classic high vocals meld together to create a fantastic album that shows that these seasoned rockers can still write and execute catchy metal music.

Favorite Songs: "Story Of A Nobody", "Dark Revolution"