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Weapon UK: Rising From The Ashes (Vinyl Reissue)
Weapon UK - Rising From The Ashes 2018 Vinyl Reissue Music Review

Weapon UK: Rising From The Ashes

Melodic Heavy Metal Rock (NWoBHM)
4.5/5.0

Beginning in 1980 (as Fast Relief), Weapon UK is one of those metal bands that arrived with the rising tide of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWoBHM), but mostly floated under that auspicious tidal wave. A single here, a demo there, the band never was able to surface above overwhelming flood of bands. A compilation arrived in 2003 with Set the Stage Alight, featuring the popular, yet largely unnoticed, 80's title track. It wasn't until their fourth resurrection in 2012 that Weapon UK hit the ground with some success, dropping Rising From The Ashes in 2014, a DIY project completed self-released and self-promoted. This year, true heavy metal label Pure Steel re-releases the album on vinyl.

Weapon UK Band Photo Click For Larger Image

Weapon UK

Now, if you've have or heard Rising From The Ashes, the very fact that it's appearing on vinyl is the single best reason to buy it again. Vinyl is awesome, and if you don't have a turntable with your stereo system, shame on you, get one.

Essentially, excepting the addition of the new song and bonus track The Rocker, this vinyl reissue is no different from the 2014 model. In turn, that means you get Weapon's traditional NWoBHM melodic heavy metal rock on a shiny piece of black plastic. You still have the heavy metal tunes such as Ride The Maria!, Warrior, Killer Instinct, Bad Reputation, and the drum thunder of Bloodsoaked Rock. While it has a metal edge, the new song The Rocker turns more on a catchy hard rock groove. Lastly, there's the more mellow Alamein. Moving by voice over acoustic guitar, it develops into a sweet metal ballad.

The well-crafted NWoBHM sound of Rising From The Ashes brought the largely underground and underrated Weapon UK back to life. Now this fine album gets its vinyl reissue from Pure Steel Records. Get it while you can. Recommended.



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The Bottom Line

The well-crafted NWoBHM sound of Rising From The Ashes brought the largely underground and underrated Weapon UK back to life. Now this fine album gets its vinyl reissue from Pure Steel Records. Get it while you can. Recommended.

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