Ambush (album)

Last updated

Ambush
Ambush (Tygers of Pan Tang album).jpg
Studio album by
Released24 September 2012
Genre Heavy metal
Length49:07
Label Rocksector Records
Producer Chris Tsangarides
Tygers of Pan Tang chronology
Animal Instinct [1]
(2008)
Ambush
(2012)
Tygers Of Pan Tang [1]
(2016)

Ambush is the tenth studio album by British Heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang, released on 24 September 2012. A limited edition fan pack was also released (limited to 300) and includes the Ambush cd, Ambush guitar pick, a poster of the original album artwork signed by Rodney Matthews, and a postcard featuring song lyrics. It was housed in a high-quality cd box with a metallic Tygers Of Pan Tang band logo. As an added bonus, each buyer was entered into a free draw with the first 5 winners receiving a signed 12″ vinyl copy from the Spellbound sessions and a signed cymbal from the same sessions. The album was newly remastered and re-released again on digital services, digipack CD, black LP, and orange LP (limited to 500) versions, by Mighty Music, on 18 September 2020; It contains extensive sleeve notes from all of the band members as well as four of the added tracks from the Japan Remastered rerelease, minus the track "Suzie Smiled". [2] This was the first album to be recorded, produced, and engineered by Chris Tsangarides in 31 years. He had last produced their first 2 albums, Wild Cat and Spellbound.

Contents

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Metal KaozStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
PlanetMosh9/10 [4]
Metal Rules 4.0/5 [5]
MetalCrypt4.25/5 [6]
Metalheads Forever Magazine8/10 [7]

Reception

Reception of the album has been positive by both fans and critics. Grigoris Chronis of Metal Kaoz gave a positive review, saying that this is a rocking British Metal songlist with flaming guitars and a general on-the-road atmosphere that resembles the vintage TYGERS OF PAN TANG days, from start to finish. Ending their review by stating that "[Ambush] is the kind of album you will be glad to purchase, if you’re a fan of classic British Rock/Metal. The songwriting is nice, the guitars are blazing, the rhythm section is pounding hard, the vocals are tantalizing in a way and the overall result screams you can’t teach an old dog new tricks." Of Metal Rules, Erich Heintzelman was positive and said how that there are no glaring weaknesses on this album, and that the Guitar solos, rhythms, and arrangements are all of a high caliber. Concluding that while Ambush will not deliver the band to the glory days of yore, "it will lead many an aged metal head to crack a smile, and remember the excitement of those initial NWOBHM days. Incidentally, this album is for those aged fans of Saxon, Toyko Blade, and Angel Witch, but also NWOBHM fans in general."

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Keeping Me Alive"5:27
2."These Eyes"4:10
3."One of a Kind"4:14
4."Rock 'n' Roll Dream"4:07
5."She"4:49
6."Man On Fire"4:10
7."Play To Win"4:51
8."Burning Desire"4:56
9."Hey Suzie"4:18
10."Mr. Indispensable"4:23
11."Speed"3:42
Remastered reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
12."Cruel Hands of Time" (Studio Outtake)4:02
13."Keeping Me Alive" (Live)4:12
14."These Eyes" (Live)5:08
15."Rock'n'Roll Dream" (Demo)4:30
Japanese Reissue bonus track
No.TitleLength
16."Suzie Smiled" (Live)5:53

Personnel

Miscellaneous staff

Related Research Articles

The new wave of British heavy metal was a nationwide musical movement that started in England in the mid-1970s and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Editor Alan Lewis coined the term for an article by Geoff Barton in a May 1979 issue of the British music newspaper Sounds to describe the emergence of new heavy metal bands in the mid to late 1970s, during the period of punk rock's decline and the dominance of new wave music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Sykes</span> British guitarist

John James Sykes is an English guitarist, best known as a member of Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and Tygers of Pan Tang. He has also fronted the hard rock group Blue Murder and released several solo albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tygers of Pan Tang</span> British heavy metal band

Tygers of Pan Tang are an English heavy metal band who are part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. They formed in 1978 in Whitley Bay, England, and were active until 1987. The band reformed in 1999 and continue to record and perform. The name is derived from Pan Tang, a fictional archipelago in Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné fantasy series whose wizards keep tigers as pets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Persian Risk</span> British heavy metal band

Persian Risk are a Welsh heavy metal band from the new wave of British heavy metal era formed in 1979 and hailing from Cardiff, Wales. The brainchild of ex-Stoned Soul Party guitarist Phil Campbell, he recruited vocalist Jon Deverill, second guitarist Dave Bell, bass player Nick Hughes, and drummer Razz. The group was active until 1986. In 2012, the band was re-activated by vocalist Carl Sentance albeit without the involvement of any other past members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney Matthews</span> British artist

Rodney Matthews is a British illustrator and conceptual designer of fantasy and science-fiction.

Christopher Andrew Tsangarides was a British record producer, sound engineer, and mixer of Greek Cypriot origin. He was best known for his work with many heavy metal artists, including Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, Helloween, Anvil, Angra, Anthem, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Tygers of Pan Tang.

<i>Spellbound</i> (Tygers of Pan Tang album) 1981 studio album by Tygers of Pan Tang

Spellbound is the second album by British heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang, produced in 1981 on MCA. Spellbound is the first of two full length Tygers of Pan Tang albums to feature John Sykes as second guitarist, who later joined Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake. It is also the first album with vocalist Jon Deverill. The album was re-issued in 1989 in a double-LP package with Wild Cat and on CD in 1997 with bonus tracks.

Jaguar are an English heavy metal band formed in Bristol in December 1979. They had moderate success throughout Europe and Asia in the early 1980s, during the heyday of the new wave of British heavy metal movement.

<i>Wild Cat</i> (Tygers of Pan Tang album) 1980 studio album by Tygers of Pan Tang

Wild Cat is the debut album by the British heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang. It was released in 1980 on MCA Records, and reached #18 on the UK album chart. The album was re-issued in 1989 in a double-LP package with Spellbound, and on CD in 1997 with bonus tracks.

<i>Crazy Nights</i> (Tygers of Pan Tang album) 1981 studio album by Tygers of Pan Tang

Crazy Nights is the third studio album by British heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang, released in November 1981 on MCA and is rumoured to be the last album to be recorded at Trident Studios before it closed the same year.

<i>Live at Nottingham Rock City</i> 2001 live album by Tygers of Pan Tang

Live at Nottingham Rock City is a live album by the British heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang, recorded in April 1981 and not released until 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Please Don't Leave Me (John Sykes song)</span> 1982 single by John Sykes

"Please Don't Leave Me" is a song by English hard rock musician John Sykes. It was released in 1982 by MCA Records as his first solo single. It also features members of the Irish hard rock group Thin Lizzy, including frontman Phil Lynott, who co-wrote the track with Sykes.

<i>Animal Instinct</i> (Tygers of Pan Tang album) 2008 studio album by Tygers of Pan Tang

Animal Instinct is the ninth studio album by British heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang, released on 12 April 2008.

Tytan is a British rock band that lasted about two years during the early 1980s by former Angel Witch bassist Kev Riddles. The album Rough Justice was released after their split. They formed out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement and are best known for their strong melodies. The band reformed in 2012 to play Keep It True in Germany and have been touring since. In 2016 the band recorded a follow-up album Justice Served with Chris Tsangarides for High Roller Records. It was released in May 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salem (British rock band)</span> English hard rock band

Salem is a hard rock/heavy metal band from Hull, England. It was formed following the split of the new wave of British heavy metal band Ethel the Frog. Salem recorded three demos and a single in the early 1980s; a compilation album of these recordings was released in 2010.

Stormzone are a heavy metal band from Northern Ireland formed in 2004. The band's current line-up consists of vocalist John "Harv" Harbinson, bassist Graham McNulty, guitarists Steve Moore and Dave Shields, and drummer Davy Bates.

<i>The Second Wave: 25 Years of NWOBHM</i> 2003 compilation album by Oliver/Dawson Saxon, Girlschool and Tygers of Pan Tang

The Second Wave: 25 Years of NWOBHM is a split studio album released in 2003 by British indie label Communiqué Records. The album contains five songs each from veteran bands of the new wave of British heavy metal Oliver/Dawson Saxon, Girlschool and Tygers of Pan Tang. The album features both new songs and already published ones, sometimes re-recorded for the occasion. The release of the album had to be followed by a UK tour of the three bands together, but Oliver/Dawson Saxon did not participate. The cover design was by Robb Weir's nephew and Vectis radio DJ, Tim Pritchard with Paris-based designer Kev Baldwyn. The painting used was commissioned by Robb Weir and painted by Isle of Wight-based artist, John Patty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Thompson (songwriter)</span> British songwriter and record producer (born 1952)

Stephen Dennis Thompson is a British musician, songwriter and record producer who is responsible for a number of single and album chart hits and well known songs recorded by international recording artists. He was instrumental in setting up the influential Neat Records. He was particularly active as a producer during the NWOBHM years. During this time, he produced for many acts and kick-started the careers of several influential heavy metal acts including the first recordings of Newcastle band Venom and Raven who have been credited with being hugely influential by Metallica.

<i>Tygers of Pan Tang</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Tygers of Pan Tang

Tygers of Pan Tang is the self-titled eleventh studio album by British heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang, released on October 21, 2016. An official music video was made for "Only the Brave"

References

  1. 1 2 "Tygers of Pan Tang - The Official Site". www.tygersofpantang.com. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  2. "Tygers Of Pan Tang to reissue "Ambush" album in September". therockpit.net.
  3. Chronis, Grigoris (27 September 2012). "Tygers Of Pan Tang - Ambush". metalkaoz.com. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  4. Jarman, Dennis (4 August 2012). "Tygers Of Pan Tang – Ambush". Planetmosh. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  5. Heintzelman, Erich (1 November 2012). "Tygers Of Pan Tang – Ambush" . Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  6. Renaud, Michel (18 July 2014). "Review: Tygers of Pan Tang - Ambush" . Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  7. McCann, Adam (28 August 2020). "Tygers of Pan Tang - Ambush" . Retrieved 29 September 2022.