Whitley Bay’s greatest export are about to unleash a new album: yes, Tygers of Pan Tang have spent lockdown(s) recruiting new members and recording a new album. As a taster, they will release an EP called A New Heartbeat in February. OK, I know Robb Weir is the only original member left but they have always managed to retain a sense of history and never lost sight of their roots when they formed back in 1978 and were at the forefront of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal… in fact, they were/are better than some of their more successful peers, in my opinion.
This new EP features re-recordings of two tracks from the brilliant debut album, Wildcat from 1980. ‘Killers’ and ‘Fireclown’, both retain the rawness of the times but bear the stamp of the latest incarnation too. I listened to the old and the new versions back to back and, although nostalgia (I am old!) will always take me to the older versions, these two do have the odd advantage. The guitar solo on the former is incendiary and the latter may have a different intro but, when that bass riff kicks in, it is glorious and I am back in my native North East at the Mayfair, headbanging with the band.
The title track is a new song and actually opens the CD with a powerful, melodic and heavy riffy rock song that still has a Tyger stamp while being very 2022 rock. New track number two is called ‘Red Mist’ and is a classic in waiting: great riff, bass and drum backing and a strong vocal melody and performance that again sound old and new at the same time. The guitar solo is inspired too and doesn’t disappear up its own headstock as so many do. (The only niggle is I keep thinking the line is “you’re in the rabbit”, but that’s just another good reason for buying it!)
This promises so much for the new album and all four tracks are powerful, relevant and quality heavy rock.
Released on 25th February, it’s only available as a digipak CD from the Tygers website and directly from their record company Mighty Music/Target Group. A vinyl version will follow we’re told.
