John Tucker's review SOLDIER – ‘Dogs Of War’ (Starhaven Records) Aside from being known as the band that got away – in that despite being offered a deal by Heavy Metal Records back when the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal was in full flight they never made the album expected of them – Soldier were also a little different from a lot of the NWOBHM pack, being unafraid as they were to mix metal and melody in equal measure. Their one single ‘Sheralee’ (a new version of which appears as a bonus this time around) was a perfect example of how to be heavy as Hell and catchy as a cold. Soldier’s unfortunate demise – described in the booklet text – created a void that was never filled. Until, of course, founder members guitarist Ian Alan Dick and bassist Steve Barlow had to scratch that itch called Reformation back as the Nineties became the Noughties: ‘Heavy Meal Force’ cleared out the cupboard, ‘Sins Of the Warrior’ showed the shape of things to come, and now they’re back once more with the exciting and exuberant ‘Dogs Of War’, 60 minutes of the best of British metal. But don’t go thinking this is some kind of nostalgia trip. Soldier might be rooted in the NWOBHM and haven’t tried to disguise this with the material they’re offering up here, but they have taken a step back and ensured that the songs stand loud ‘n’ proud and shoulder-to-shoulder with anything the new pups might be serving up to today’s metal fans. There’s a neat touch in the booklet photo too, with Dick and Barlow sat in one row of theatre seats, allowing the new blood (vocalist Richard Frost, guitarist Miles Goodman and drummer Alex Smith) to occupy the row in front and take their place in the limelight. As for highlights on the album, well, they come thick and fast. The first three cuts in particular are exceptionally forceful; ‘The Dogs Of War’ growls along like an infantry charge; ‘I Can’t Breathe’ is a perfect example of the blend of harmony and heavy, with Frost’s melody lines surfing a heavy post-chorus riff which would easily put the metal in Metallica; and ‘Fireflies’ has some lovely twin guitar work from Dick and his partner-in-crime Goodman. Then there’s the neat time change and twin guitar run in ‘Bedlam’ (another strong cut and an original contender for title track); Smith being let off the leash and allowed some fun in ‘The Demon In The Room’; and ‘I Am’ again demonstrating the use of melody and revealing itself to be a distant cousin of ‘Sheralee’. And if you can sit still during ‘Forever’ without tapping your feet or hands, or leaping around the room like a loon, you’d better check you’ve still got a pulse. Across the album the guitars spar or synchronise, depending on the needs of the song, and Barlow’s bass is as solid as a rock, locking with the drums and giving both guitars and vocals a canvas to paint on. Dick says that amongst the things he thought were important in the songs were “the melody and, hopefully, lots of hooks”; this album has an abundance of both – trust me on this. There’s no passengers, no fillers: ‘Dogs Of War’ is all pedigree and no pooch. Three bonus tracks round off the package: the aforementioned Twenty-First Century romp through ‘Sheralee’, a short, head-shaking instrumental work-out called ‘Crash Course’ and finally a morose, acoustic ballad ‘The Hanging Tree.’ The NWOBHM might be in their blood, but the future is in their sights. This is a great contemporary album from a great contemporary band. ‘Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war’, indeed… © John Tucker August 2013 http://www.johntuckeronline.com/cd_reviews/soldier_dogs_of_war