R E V I E W S


Tokyo Blade
Thousand Men Strong

Company: Fastball Music
Release: 2011
Genre: Traditional
Reviewer: EC

  • Pales in comparison to the original



    • Looks like this is just about the full band intact that wrote and recorded the classic "Tokyo Blade" from 1982. This staple of NWOBHM really has puzzled fans since day one with collectors and metal esteemed both thinking the band is from Asia. This is valid British metal that was off and on for three decades, highlighted by the trio of "Tokyo Blade", "Night Of The Blade" and "Blackhearts & Jaded Spades". "Thousand Men Strong" is definitely not capturing the same success as the holy trio but still a decent weigh-in with today's more lighthearted fare. The new kid is okay on the mic and the strings still burn hot. Maybe the band are kicking off decade four with rejuvenation and dedicated focus. Who knows what the driving force is at this point...creative impulse, nostalgia or maybe it is just beats backgammon, bridge and other social functions at age 60. This could have left off the reworking of "Night Of The Blade"...it pales in comparison to the original slice.



    Maximum Metal Rating Legend - Full Details
    5 Excellent - Buy it and say a prayer to the metal gods that you were tuned on to this masterpiece. A classic.
    4-4.5 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a clunker or a lacking somewhere to keep it from perfection. You won't feel bad about dropping some bones on these.
    3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler. This is the OK range where you'd search for the record on sale or used.
    3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio. Could show skills but be dull overall. Redeeming qualities for indy bands are effort and passion. Majors that don't try or suck outright end up here.
    2-2.5 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors. There is much better metal out there.
    1-1.5 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
    0 Terrible or an otherwise waste of your life and time.

    Note: Reviews are graded from 0-5, anything higher or not showing is from our old style. Scores, however, do not reveal the important features. The written review that accompanies the ratings is the best source of information regarding the music on our site. Reviewing is opinionated, not a qualitative science, so scores are personal to the reviewer and could reflect anything from being technically brilliant to gloriously cheesy fun.

    The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.

    Demos and independent releases get some slack since the bands are often spent broke supporting themselves and trying to improve. Major releases usually have big financial backing, so they may be judged by a heavier hand. All scores can be eventually adjusted up or down by comparison of subsequent releases by the same band. We attempt to keep biases out of reviews and be advocates of the consumer without the undo influence of any band, label, management, promoter, etc.


    All reviews for this band:
    CD
    		 TITLE BAND
    DOR
    		 REVIEWER DATE
    		Thousand Men StrongTokyo Blade
    2011
    		EC2/9/2012


    Interviews found from this band:
    INTERVIEW BAND INTERVIEWER DATE


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