The current New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM) movement has seen a plethora of bands such as White Wizzard, Enforcer, Cauldron and Wolf, raise a studded fist in defence of old school metal values. Rooted in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal Movement (NWOBHM – warning, this review is acronym heavy) from the late 70s and early 80s these new pretenders to the throne play fast, melodic, riff -ased tunes that evoke images of ripped denim patch jackets, grubby smoke stained beer stale pubs and unapologetically celebrates such stalwarts as Iron Maiden and Saxon.
It is perhaps no accident that many of these young bands have chosen to reference a key moment in metal history that not only saw the emergence of some of the genre’s most important exponents but was also responsible for spawning a myriad of subgenres, from speed metal to thrash to black metal.
One of the most revered (particulalrly if you’re Lars Ulrich) and key bands in this regard are metal legends (not an undeserved term) Diamond Head. And what better setting to see them than in a packed sweatbox that seemed to evoke the ghosts of the Ruskin Arms or The Soundhouse Club and felt like a throw back to 1980, the year they released their classic Lightning to the Nations album (LTTN – I warned you dear reader).
Despite more upheavals, adversity and too many Spinal Tap moments to mention, the Head persevere (albeit with guitarist Brian Tatler the only surviving founding member) and Dublin audiences were treated to a band on blistering form playing the aforementioned album in its entirety. From the opening title track to the iconic 'Am I Evil?' (Holst’s ‘Mars, God of War’ headbanged into submission) or the 'Whole Lotta Love'-inspired tongue in cheek 'Sucking My Love', each song is a testament to all that is great about heavy metal – energetic, evocative, anthemic, complex song structures, raw heart felt honesty, seductive riffing.
New vocalist Nick Tart was a more assured and confident perfromer than on previous showings and Brian Tatler spewed out classic riff after riff. The set comprised choice cuts from the band’s history; the pounding 'To Heaven from Hell' off Borrowed Time, the moody otherworldliness of 'To the Devil his Due' from Canterbury, alongside more recent fare such as 'Nothing to Lose' from 2007’s Whats in Your Head. This was far from a simple exercise in nostalgia but testament to perseverance in the face of adversity a belief in the power of the material and a healthy dose of self awareness and sheer bloody mindedness.