Release Date September 25th, 2026
Format CD/LP
Genre NWOBHM
Origin United Kingdom
Bleak House is a British heavy metal band closely associated with the NWOBHM era. The band released the "Rainbow Warrior" 7" EP in 1980 and "Lions In Winter" in 1982 before splitting in 1983. After more than four decades away, Bleak House returned to the stage at Germany’s Keep It True festival in 2024, with original members Graham Shaw, Graham Killin and Bob Bonshor joined by Sam Killin on bass and Chris Shaw on drums. This lineup subsequently entered the studio to record new material, bringing together members from the original era and the next generation of the band.
"Tyrant" presents three songs and around eleven minutes of traditional British heavy metal with a strong emphasis on classic riffing, melodic guitar work and Graham Shaw’s distinctive vocals. The title track is the only new composition, while "Arise With The Prince" and "To The Gods" revisit older material with the current lineup.
The production by Tim Kramer is crisp enough to separate the guitars, bass and drums, while Patrick W. Engel’s mastering gives the release a suitably vintage metal presentation. There is no attempt to overload the songs with modern studio tricks, and the arrangements remain concise and focused. "Tyrant" has enough substance to work beyond the historical value of the reunion, with the guitars providing the main attraction throughout. The EP is brief, direct and firmly rooted in classic heavy metal songwriting.
|8.0
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