SPARTA — Welcome To Hell (review)

SPARTA — Welcome To Hell album cover Album · 2014 · Heavy Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Kev Rowland
Sparta were one of those many NWOBHM bands that released some material which is now really sought after, but never gained the publicity or accolades of others. Many of these bands sank without trace, but in 2011 High Roller released a compilation of their material, which did incredibly well. This inspired the band to work together again and wrote the first new Sparta song since 1985, “Welcome To Hell”, and the label was all for them recording an album, so after some 35 years here is the debut studio album from the band. Unlike many other reformations this contains all of the most well-known line-up, and they have kept their original sound to boot. The result is an album that is unmistakably NWOBHM yet at the same time is music for today with good production and catchy hooks.

Yes this is a trip in nostalgia in many ways, but for those who like me grew up on this genre (I was 16 in ’79) then this is wonderful. It took me back to the days when I was listening to everything I could find by bands such as Geddes Axe, Jaguar, Twisted Ace, Handsome Beasts and all the rest. It is true to the original thinking behind the formation of the band, and they have maintained the original influences of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Motörhead with a little splash of AC/DC. It has the energy and enthusiasm that got I and many others excited back in the day, and singer Karl Reders still has a fine set of pipes on him. All in all if you enjoy NWOBHM then this is something you need to discover – and they are gigging so keep your eye out for them playing near you.
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
Facilis Descensus Averno Death Metal
SAEVUS FINIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
Merciless Crossover Thrash
BODY COUNT
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us