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Tygers of Pan Tang > Spellbound > Reviews
Tygers of Pan Tang - Spellbound

They Messed Around With Fire And Didn't Get Burned - 87%

Caleb9000, January 12th, 2016

The NWOBHM was full of bands that were making great music, but never got the recognition that they had deserved. Bands like Angel Witch, Satan, Diamond Head and Tokyo Blade were releasing excellent albums, but they were never as popular as counterparts such as Iron Maiden or Saxon. Even Def Leppard, while they were still a part of the movement. One band that had a bigger shot at that fame than almost all of them, but still missed their mark was this band. Tygers of Pan Tang is a band that I think of and just go, "So damn close!" out of sheer surprise from the misfortune that had been bestowed upon them. They had every bit of the talent and sound that they needed to go big, like Aerosmith, AC/DC, Van Halen and all those other rock icons of the time. This was the band's second studio album to be released on MCA Records, a major label. It was superior in sales to its predecessor. I suppose that this was due to the cleaner and more on-key vocals and the improvement in production. But the truth is, it should have gotten much more than it did. So why did it not sell as well as it deserved?

Well, I guess that the biggest reason for it would have to be this: it's a heavy metal album. Heavy metal as a genre was discriminated against by the mainstream, so MCA wasn't able to get too much off of this one. Sure, it did have a tad bit more of those classic rock influences than bands who were around at the time, such as Venom or Angel Witch, but it just didn't sound friendly enough. People must have found the album to be flat-out commercially unacceptable. Sure, there were some people who would have enjoyed it immensely, but there are just too many who would have opposed. Good thing this all turned around for the genre in about two years.

Let's start talking about the album now...

The album's opener is one of their most well-known tracks to date, "Gangland". It has a very energetic main riff and has an overall very enjoyable and catchy sound. However, I find it all the more fun to play on the guitar, myself. It makes me feel pretty much consumed within the music and it makes me wonder if the band felt the same way, while recording this album. Just children playing at the playground, having the time of their lives. Probably not, as a lot of these bands were very poor and living off of whatever they could find. "Take It" has a really diverse solo section. It has soulful and bluesy, almost twangy parts, then soulful and technical parts, which possess quite a lot of epicness. It's probably the best solo section that they have ever recorded. The mood swings that come in with the key changes keep you with them all the way through, without throwing the listener off in any way. Songs like "Hellbound" and "Don't Stop By" had a bit more of a commercial feel, but they still had a satisfying sound.

"Tyger Bay", on the contrary, has a heavier sound that the rest of the album, which fits the subject that it touches on, a crazy neighborhood that will make you "pay" if you stay for too long. It is my personal favorite track on the album. The riffs are just so damn catchy and memorable. John delivers a more fierce vocal performance on this track, increasing the wild nature that it possesses. The raw production makes this turn out to be all the more fierce, dirty and enjoyable. As catchy as it is, it does not fuck around with the listener. It perfectly does what it is meant to do, which is make you feel as though you are surrounded by violence and you have to simply either fight or run away. I consider this one to be an absolutely perfect song, as well as one of the most underrated songs in the history of heavy metal. Not nearly enough people appreciate it for just how great it really is.

I really like the vocals on the album. Sure, everything else here is good, but the vocals are much improved from the ones on "Wild Cat". John Deverill has a raw and powerful, yet soulful and sometimes operatic voice. He can be loud and powerful, or soft and gentle. I would say that he possesses much more charisma than Jess Cox. I'm not saying that Jess is bad, but he's not as good as the man who was behind the mic on this one.

My con with this album is that sometimes it can get a little boring. Some of the instrumental work can lag a bit. Especially the two ballads. They just have little to no substance. For most of the time, it's pretty good, but sometimes it's interesting. I also found the track, "Silver and Gold" to be uninteresting and rather generic. It just didn't feel right, in my ears. Also, the "Minotaur" instrumental was nothing more than pointless. Everything else here kicks ass.

This album is a very impressive landmark in the NWOBHM and it should greatly impress first-time listeners. This is another one of those albums that can be enjoyed by fans of all kinds of music, which is good. It gives you a much wider audience. Too bad this album didn't get too wide of one. I'm sure that any NWOBHM fan knows this one. Speaking for myself and others, I think that this album's positive reception is exceptionally well deserved.

Consistency works! - 85%

thewitchfinder, December 24th, 2008

This is, hands down, the Tygers most solid and unswerving release in retrospect to their later filler soaked duds. The composition embodies the unrefined attitude and ferocity of the NWOBHM movement completely, pre-dating many other musicians’ songwriting that would later take claim to the genre.

Although the writing is rather formulaic and repetitive at times – it still clearly represents positive consistency that is unwavering, ballsy, and vicious in comparison with many of the band’s contemporaries during the time. Though commercial, “The Story So Far” is an extremely well-crafted and catchy track while the adrenaline fused guitar work and speed of “Hellbound” will surely have your head moving.

Killer riffage, speed, and wild guitar licks culminate into one great listen! Ignoring the expected ballad track, “Mirror”, Tyger of Pan Tang’s “Spellbound” is a lean, no bullshit approach to heavy metal that is a great addition to any collection.

A real NWOBHM Classic - 85%

brocashelm, October 7th, 2005

Very surprised to see so few Tygers reviews on this site...oh well. SPELLBOUND is a great record, period. Not only does it feature the amazing guitar work of John Sykes (soon to graduate to Thin Lizzy) but some killer tunes as well. "Gangland" is as heavy and brash as the NWOBHM gets, and even the melodic, slightly commercial "The Story So Far" is a killer tune. Really the whole album is very consistent, and the band's reputation as legends of their particulat scene is well deserved. Yeah, it's true the band kinda sold out from this point on, offering poppy metal releases that embarassed their hardcore fanbase (like me) but rest assured that WILD CAT, CRAZY NIGHTS, and SPELLBOUND are excellent NWOBHM that belongs alongside anything by Tank, Raven, Atomkraft, or Samson had to offer!