Not quite NWOBHM

[Keir]

Going with the NWOBHM theme of the day, what are some singles or albums that are often described as NWOBHM (presumably to up their value), but really aren’t? Here are a few that I thought of:

AIRBORNE – In United Kingdom: Well, for starters they’re from Sweden…
ANNIVERSARY – Give Me a Smile: Like many late 70s releases that get labeled NWOBHM, this is more like punk-influenced British rock.
DEEP SWITCH – Nine Inches of God: I love this album, but c’mon, it was ’86!
ZORRO – Arrods Don’t Sell ‘Em: See ANNIVERSARY.

[Fucking Åmål]

What all this mania about NWOBHM,every magazine in every country makes a Special about NWOBHM with obscure bands even Lars Ulrich stated and praised NWOBHM's bands.To me NWOBHM is OVERRATED(You can swear at me)but why all these Metal Hammer around the World Magazines and so-called ethusiasts about 80's Metal when you ask them do you know Stormwitch,Gravestone,Salem's Wych,Witchhammer,Tarot they reply ''No they weren't from late Seventies-early 80's that NWOBHM did''.So this is the fact that matters in metal.I am embarassed because of the fact that magazines don't write about semi-obscure bands and on the other hand they make two-two the specials and references at even the most obscure bands from the NWOBHM.

Some really good records are:
Traitors Gate-Devil Takes The High Road
Widow-Widow
Dark Heart-Shadows Of The Night
Cloven Hoof-Sultan's Ransom
Elixir-Son Of Odin

[Keir]

Though I love NWOBHM, I hear what you're saying. In fact, that's kind of why I started this thread. Some people are so obsessed with it that anything remotely "heavy" that happens to be from somewhere near England anytime between 1977 and 1989 gets stuck with the label. Pisses me off.

[DaN]

I totally agree w/ Keir. See my CRACKED MIRROR-review for reference. There's definitely a lot of crap shoehorned into the label, as well as great stuff that should be able stand on its own merits as just bloody killer, mid-80's European Metal.

But NWOBHM overrated? You lost me there, Mr Åmål (although I'll save the swearing for later since you're the first one ever to namedrop the awesome DARK HEART!). I still find the majority of old obscure NWOBHM 7"s ranging between Good and Godly. There's something about that very down-to-earth, hard & heavy rock attitude, the pre-plastic-sword-waving honesty that I find irresistable. Ofcourse you could find the same kind of sound in most countries at this period, but there's no discussion about which scene was the most prolific. As far as the mainstream metal media goes, yeah I guess you score more 'cred' by namedropping some old nwobhm act than SALEM'S WYCH or GRAVESTONE, but mainstream music media was always fucked so who's surprised really?

[Ryacus]

Yeah the word nwobhm can encompass anything from heavy metal, 70's punk, obscure doom/heavy hybrid bands and other random rock band that never got big left over from the 70's, AC/DC sounding hard rock and all kinds of other things, It doesn't really piss me off though sometimes you find good bands even though they aren't fully heavy metal such as Spider and Starfighter.

[omen of hate]

Blazer Blazer "Cecil B. Devine"
It sounds like a mix between The Who and pub-rock

[metalmaster]

I would mentione these:

-All Venom records (certainly no NWOBHM sounding here. They were born in that period, but certainly do not sound like the bands, so, in my opinion, they cant be labelled NWOBHM)
-All Warfare
-Egypt
-The Blood (not mny mention them like NWOBHM, but some people do)

[Azaras]

I would mentione these:

-All Venom records (certainly no NWOBHM sounding here. They were born in that period, but certainly do not sound like the bands, so, in my opinion, they cant be labelled NWOBHM)

Have to say, NWoBHM doesn't really have a set sound (my opinion), it's just a movement. There was doom, progressive metal, and, yes, black/thrash/whatever metal like VENOM in it too.

In this category of "not really NWoBHM" I'd just chuck in all the bands from the same time and place ('77-'84 england) that were not heavy metal and were softer rock instead.

[ION BRITTON]

As this thread has a warning character too, i'd like to mention one more band which doesn't deserve that NWOBHM tag. It's PHYNE THANQUZ with their insanely rare 7'' Into the sun/ Curse of the gods from 1981. The front cover is very promising, but unfortunately it's totally 70's inspired material with very few (maybe none) metal elements. Not even a classic crossover HR/HM case of that period. Be very careful with this one.