Spartan Warrior – Hell To Pay

Finally it’s here! The long awaited album Hell To Pay from NWOBHM stalwarts Spartan Warrior who must have felt like Spartan Worriers as it’s been a long eight year wait since their last studio release. Released via Pure Steel Records with stunning artwork by Timo Wuerz, its ten tracks show there is still plenty of fight in the Sunderland quintet since their formation in 1980 with founding members lead vocalist David Wilkinson and his brother Neil on guitar existing from the original line up.

Neil also handles production duties and he’s done a damn fine job as ‘Hell To Pay’ bursts out with scything riffs backed by some furious footwork from James Charlton and to keep the intensity levels high, the guitar solos from Neil and Dan Rochester arrive early at just under the first minute. A doom like crush intro for ‘Bad Attitude’ heads off into a catchy headbanger with an overload of melodic solos midway. The band  certainly let go during ‘Letting Go’, especially David with a gritty vocal over hard hitting dynamics.

‘Court Of Clowns’, a track that has been in their set for a few years is the heaviest track on the album that rages on an avalanche of riffing and another kit bashing from James. ‘They slow things down with the heavy balladry of ‘Something To Believe In’, proving a point that a rock song does not have to be full on to deliver as the gently picked acoustic intro sees it heavy up musically and vocally into a sure fire crowd pleaser. ‘Walls Fall Down’ certainly could due to the engine room of James and Tim Morton on bass guitar laying down a brick blasting groove for the guitars to send the speedometer into the red.

‘Shadowland’ is an intense gallop on a crescendo of twin guitar riffing and air guitarists will be kept busy due to the raging solos midway. ‘Covered In Lust’, another staple in their current set is another catchy riffer. Heavy enough for the headbangers, melodic enough for rock radio airplay with some neat Lizzy like twin harmonies. There is no let up in speed as my headphones took a battering from the pounding ‘Fallen’, all clubbing rhythms and fretboard heroics as the album closes with ‘In Memorium’. Going by the title I was expecting another ballad but could not be more wrong as dish out another slice of turbo charged heavy metal.

Hell To Pay album track listing :-

Hell To Pay.

Bad Attitude.

Letting Go.

Court Of Clowns.

Something To Believe In.

Walls Fall Down.

Shadowland.

Covered In Lust.

Fallen.

In Memorium.

Spartan Warrior band line up :

Neil Wilkinson – Guitars.

David Wilkinson – Lead vocals.

James Charlton – Drums.

Dan Rochester – Guitars.

Tim Morton – Bass guitar.