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TYSONDOG
Midnight

From The Vaults (2022)
Rating: 8/10

Tysondog, those wiley Geordie metal heads who charmed their way into our young hearts back in the 80s with albums such as Beware Of The Dog (1984) and Crimes Of Insanity (1986), are here again.

Times change however, as do line-ups, but thankfully the UK heavy metal veterans have remained loyal to their sound for what is only their fourth full-length studio album in almost 40 years. But then again, they did split back in 1987 before re-emerging in 2008.

Refusing to be consigned to heavy metal history, Tysondog’s latest record is a surprisingly varied outing within its solid metal framework; whether it’s the Saxon-fuelled war anthem ‘Batallion’, the groove-laden title cut, ‘Midnight’, or the doomy trudge of the immense ‘Waiting For God’.

There’s so much power on offer here with this nine-track effort, with a gravelly vocal snarl, thrash tinges in certain dynamics, flirtation with power metal (‘Dead Man Walking’) and clanking New Wave Of British Heavy Metal.

And it’s difficult to oppose the suspenseful strains of ‘Paper Cuts’ or the ballsy hammering of ‘Defiant’. This is straightforward metal that simmers in passages but always maintains a hard edge, and each track can effortlessly sway from a Slayer-esque vibe to a Judas Priest assault.

The effect of Midnight is lasting, so let’s support the old dogs too because the youth of today could learn a great deal from this instalment.

Neil Arnold

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