Winds Of Time - The New Wave of British Heavy Metal 1979-1985 Box Set

Various Winds Of Time - The New Wave of British Heavy Metal 1979-1985 Box Set CD

Although its roots and influences would stretch much farther, the bands that are loosely bound together under the banner the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (or NWOBHM), flourished across the UK between 1979 and 1985. Spearheaded by the likes of Diamond Head, Saxon and the Tygers Of Pan Tang, as this set illustrates, this underground scene was fertile and highly influential, producing many future rock legends.

Often independently released, some of the bands in this set never made more than one now highly prized and collectable 45 or one-off EP. Championed in Sounds music paper as leading lights of the NWOBHM scene, this 3CD set kicks off with Diamond Head, one of the first bands to actually release a full album, albeit in a plain white sleeve. Their influence would be far reaching, and Metallica would cover no less than four tracks from this LP, including 'The Prince', featured here, as part of their "Garage Inc." covers album.

Metallica would also cover NWOBHM band Blitzkrieg, represented on this collection by 'A Time Of Changes'. A major champion of the groundswell of new HM bands was the north east of England's Neat Records, an independent label that brought us music from hugely influential acts such as Venom, Fist, Raven, Warfare, Jaguar, Aragorn, Avenger, Bitches Sin and Tysondog, among many others.

It wasn't all about the boys, mind, as the all-girl Girlschool are represented by their debut single 'Take It All Away', and fellow London all-girl trio Rock Goddess feature with a track from their self-titled major label debut for A&M, 'The Love Lingers Still'. Before Bruce Dickinson joined Maiden in 1981 he fronted London heavy rockers Samson, featuring Paul Samson on lead guitar, and represented here with the single 'Vice Versa'.

Samson had previously featured Iron Maiden's Clive Burr, a drummer who would later play with the band Elixir. White Spirit's 'Midnight Chaser' features none other than future Iron Maiden axe slinger Janick Gers.