Tokyo Blade - Fury

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After their formation in 1982 TOKYO BLADE got off to a flying start with two brilliant albums “Tokyo Blade” (1983) and “Night Of The Blade” (1984).  Since then they have endured a lot changes, musically as well as in personnel, which resulted in a lot of people forgetting that they still existed. But the band has revived itself. Instead of the melodic NWOBHM they played when they started, they now play full throttle Heavy Metal that grabs you by the throat that refuses to let you go for the full 78 minutes that this album goes on. “Fury” is their tenth full length studio album, and it is one to be savoured.

The one band that keeps coming through as a major influence is THIN LIZZY. Especially when singer Alan Marsh uses his voice an octave lower and the guitars start singing together and harmonising when possible. “Eyes Wide Shut” and “Heart Of Darkness” are the best two examples of this feat. Semi ballad “Cold Light of Day” leans into the WHITESNAKE way of writing a song. But it's all in the details, as it never becomes too obvious. It's all TOKYO BLADE down to a T, as it really fits like the proverbial glove. Just listen to “Kill Me ‘Till I’m Dead”, which combines the early and the current sound perfectly in a brilliant song.

I must admit that the becoming heavier throughout the years has put TOKYO BLADE in a different category. They'll still be considered a proper NWOBHM band by the older fans, but as a real Heavy Metal force by those who discovered them later in their career. That does mean they can have the best of both worlds when playing live, as they will be an interesting band to both sets of festivals and/or tours.

The biggest surprise for me personally is that although “Fury” is quite a lengthy album, I can honestly say that I enjoy every song on it. There isn't a filler in sight. I feel that deserves a whole lot of respect, especially when you take into consideration that their latest album before this one, “Dark Revolution” was only released in 2020. So in less than two years these guys have penned just under eighty minutes of impressive music in 15 great tunes. And recorded them accordingly, with a great sound to boost. Because that's another plus for “Fury”; it sounds wonderful.

Songwriting: 8
Musicianship: 9
Memorability: 7
Production: 8