Made in England--Virtue "We Stand to Fight"
8/13/2012 2:07:06 PM by Josh




Despite putting out an "official" release pretty late in the game (1985), Oxfordshire's Virtue lay claim to a very highly regarded 7" and one of my personal favorites. The band can be traced back as early as 1981 while still in their mid late teens. Virtue made a pretty hefty line up change after a shelved cassette demo was recorded but never released, due to the disappointment from the band. Original members and brothers Matt (guitar) and Tudor Sheldon (vocals) marched on with a new, more solid line up and through word of mouth, performing wherever they could (sometimes by showing up at bars/clubs in their best stage clothes to catch a moment with the owner to see if they could open the show that night without the owner ever hearing them), and scraping up enough money to record... "We Stand to Fight" was released through Other Records (the labels first and only release aside from the 2nd pressing?). Like the name implies, Virtue played anthemic, charging, melodic, twin guitar driven Heavy Metal. An obvious nod to their heroes Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, among others...

If the vocal hooks don't get you, the infectious chorus, guitar harmonies, and epic finger tapping will. A 3 song EP meant for a vinyl release was recorded around a year later and is just as solid but never got a release due to lack of label interest (?!) and funds, although a cassette release does exist. Just beware of shady bootleg versions of "We Stand to Fight". Rabid demand for an original copy of the single is still common to this day. "Where are the heroes?"

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