Category Archives: TYGERS OF PAN TANG

Among the more complex compositions, worth mentioning are the experimental “Cybernation” and subtle “Deja Vu” whose rhythm sections are the highlight, not to mention the captivating “Master Of Illusion”. The real centrepiece of about nine minutes, this piece appears as a kaleidoscope of TOPT and concludes with a long solo at an almost doom tempo. For the rest, the mid-tempo “Godspeak” stands out with unusual vocal lines combined with choirs. “Running Man” is more traditional but still effective. Via the epic power ballad, “The Spirit Never Dies” the Hammond sounds enter the scene…To summarize, “Noises From The Cathouse” is an interesting album, pleasant, varied and flawlessly solid at all levels. In 2016, it rose from the ashes to finally get the recognition it deserves. Take the opportunity to discover this album and this band.

Odymetal (Translated – May 2016)

Starting with a playful blast of “Bad Bad Kitty” and signing off with the equally tuneful “Master Of illusion” whose tempo shifts and lyrical flow bare the metal-laden depth of it all, this record refines TOPT’s trademark double-barrel assault on “High Speed Highway Superman” while in the molten prayer of “Cybernation” Dean Robertson’s axe cuts the second six-string’s strum in a lyrical way.

The tightness-and-release method is what the band excel at, best illustrated by “Running Man” and its bluesy licks sprinkled over the groove as Richie Wicks is bemoaning the fate of a questing spirit, although a reckless rock ‘n’ rolling of “Three In A Bed” may vie with the epics for attention. There’s a lot of anger, peaking in “Godspeak” to the punches of Brian West’s bass, yet it’s well balanced with fun, and the re-recording of “Don’t Touch Me There” from the ensemble’s debut – one of the bonuses on this reissue – only stresses their development and relevance. The TYGERS still roar: a solid noise it is. ***1/2

DMME.net (April 2016)

…one thing is certain, this tiger always has sharp fangs with this album being no exception – guitar riffing, epic solos, tempos, and good raspy vocals. It opens with a bang with ‘Bad Bad Kitty’, glam rock yet boosted with a voice like Bon Scott, and Robb Wier’s exciting solos…

…’Three In A Bed’ is a track like old time Van Halen, and ‘Master Of Illusion’ has very thick guitars and a killer riff.

There are three bonus tracks from the album sessions, still full of the crazy guitar of Robb Wier. It’s uncompromising, as Robb assumes the role of guitar hero with his playing melting ice faster than global warming! Hard rock, this is the business of the Tygers! (***)

Highlands Magazine (Translated – April 2016)

…with “Three In A Bed” (whatever could that be about?) an out and out homage to Roth fronted Van Halen through its bouncy beat, party like chorus and Wicks’ deep, leering spoken word section, there’s much more to this version of TOPT than you may think.

“Bad Bad Kitty” keeps up the (ahem) tasteful lyrical themes, yet while the words may hint more at the eighties than the noughties, what Tygers have done here is to keep the essence of their sound while spreading their wings to add influences as wide and varied as Extreme, Faith No More and in the case of “…Kitty” a more sleazy slap.

…In many ways the NWOBHM tag has been a curse for countless bands and Tygers Of Pan Tang are no exception. Here they prove once again that they have many more strings to their fret boards than the sub genre suggests. Noises From The Cathouse is a rediscovered album genuinely worth the time taken to rediscover it.

Sea Of Tranquility (March 2016)

The disk opens with the powerful and gloomy “Boomerang”, introduced by a mild and persuasive theme with violin and piano. The next development is played on a very well constructed contrast between arpeggiated parts (dark and suggestive) and moments of more direct impact, with imposing riffing, fulminating and fully supported by the bass / drums rhythm section.

The voice of the former Angel Witch Ritchie Wicks is well set and drag properly, especially in the pounding refrain. It continues with “Godspeak” and is an almost dissonant riff, then supported by a lilting rhythmic base but compelling. The riffing of Weir is processed and delightful especially in the main refrain…The result is really interesting.

The next track “Masters of Illusion”, demonstrates once again their ability to create melodic textures with long, dark and powerful riffs…”Highspeed Highway Superman” definitely changes the atmosphere, concentrating one’s attention on more sustained rhythmic and dynamic heavy-riffing and catchy rock, embellished with a good solo.

In conclusion, this “Noises from the Cathouse” is a good album…Here you will find a range of atmospheres and sounds that will please both lovers of old school metal and those who grew up listening to the latest sounds.

Truemetal.it (February 2016)

“Noise from the Cathouse” is a solid hard rock disc with occasional metallic approaches. “Boomerang” is a great rhythmic track featuring quite heavy guitars, and “Three In A Bed” is a real ‘rock ‘n’ roll’ number…the album also features two classics “Slave To Freedom” and “Don’t Touch Me There” as bonus tracks, that enhance the re-release…

Musik An Sich (February 2016)

Considering its time of recording, the album is filled to the brim with surprisingly unadulterated heavy metal, its roots still firmly embedded in the NWOBHM subculture that sprung to life in the late seventies. Doesn’t make them bad people of course. There’s an honesty to this material – produced by Chris Tsangarides – that is infinitely preferable to the sneering, condescending undertone that runs through the so called post rock irony of a few contemporary AOR bands.

‘Highspeed Highway Superman’ and ‘Running Man’ see the machine ramped up to reach an hypnotic momentum. These tracks and others – ‘Three In A Bed’ for instance – just hum with kinetic energy. ‘Bad Bad Kitty’ and ‘Godspeak’ are opposite sides of the same coin. One seems to pursue the glam, stack heeled direction of travel, while the other’s funereal call and response vocals display the band’s ability to wed a muscular brand of heavy metal to their earlier, darker inclinations.

Darker still, ‘Cybernation’ and ‘The Spirit Never Dies’ are just the warm up for the epic, 3 act, 9 minute ‘Master Of Illusion’, a stately, majestic exploration of the genre, teasing us with an unconsummated dalliance with Progressive rock. There are echoes here of one of the bonus tracks, ‘Slave to Freedom’, originally from the 1980 debut, Wildcat, whose prescient time changes were something of a clue to the musical temptations that almost turned their heads, at the beginning of their recording career.

Of the other 2 bonus tracks, one is a new, streamlined mix of ‘Highspeed Highway Superman’, and the other a cleverly arranged rework of ‘Don’t Touch Me There’, a track that also originally appeared on the band’s debut album. All 3 bonus tracks were re-recorded in 2004, planned as album extras for the Japanese market.

There are some brief but informative liner notes here, delineating the band’s 35 year history, including an interview with founder Robb Weir, and a few fascinating (and evocative) photos.

The Midlands Rocks (January 2016)

Fast-forward thirteen years and ‘Noises’ has now been given a new lease of life via Angel Air. The revamped album features new artwork, a shuffled running order that redefines the dynamism of the original ten songs, and three bonus tracks which take the running time up to a hefty 75 minutes. The material certainly hasn’t lost its bite over the intervening years, and songs like the huge, sprawling ‘Master Of Illusion’ is just one example of the band’s ability to create a grandiose metal epic, while the haunting but power chord laden ‘Cybernation’ is as dystopian as its title suggests.

The bonus tracks were recorded in 2004 and feature album cut ‘Highspeed Highway Superman (Two Wheeled Version)’ alongside the debut album classic ‘Slave To Freedom’ and debut single classic ‘Don’t Touch Me There’…they do round off a rather exciting re-issue rather nicely.

John Tucker (January 2016)

The original release has now been fleshed out a little with the addition of three bonus tracks and should be required listening for devotees of melodic hard rock everywhere, with ‘Highspeed Highway Superman’ and ‘Godspeak’ emerging as the pick of a punchy package.

Kevin Bryan, Regional Newspapers (January 2016)