Review TAILGUNNER ‘Guns For Hire’

‘Tailgunner’, that is a song from Iron Maiden who published the track on the ‘No Prayer For the Dying’ album and I guess it isn’t a coincidence that a new powerhouse from UK named themselves Tailgunner. Inspired by the NWoBHM and the sound of the 80s, the quintet from England charged their album with a lot of untamed metal.

‘Guns For Hire’ is the title of the debut album that will bring a metallic heatwave to the European mainland. The 2022 EP ‘Crashdive’ indicated the upcoming of a hungry new band, signed by Fireflash Records, and it is the debut album that shows a great continuation of what started a year ago.

Tailgunner is the brainchild of bassist Thomas Hewson who wanted to realize a full blast heavy metal album and the moment he found with Craig Carnes an excellent singer; the idea slowly became reality.

The metal adventure starts with ‘Shadows of War’. Tailgunner decided to start with a mid-paced metal anthem, that comes with a cool level of heaviness, combined with well-crafted melodies. The lightning title track is next. With all the roots in traditional heavy metal, Tailgunner also includes some speed metal references in some of the songs and ‘Guns For Hire’ is one of them.

Catchy and melodic, that is ‘Revolution Scream’ followed by ‘New Horizons’. The latter is a Maiden-inspired metal highlight while the speed reminds me of some German metal bands from the second half of the 80s.

All songs of the EP are part of this debut including the moderate ‘Crashdive’ with hooks that do what they are supposed to do. A blistering solo enriches the track before ‘Blood For Blood’ and ‘Rebirth’ heralds the end of this debut.

Tailgunner unleash a very well-crafted debut album. This band has clear musical vision which they follow with passion and dedication. Although the sound is everything but new it is the untamed power of the youth that drives the band, reflected by ten song, being a headbanger delight.