Brand new album number 14-that has 14 tracks as it goes from British metal legends Tokyo Blade, featuring band mainstays Andy Boulton and Alan Marsh. Creatively, this is one of the most consistently high-quality periods inthe band’s long and storied history. ‘Hoist The Colours High’ is the latest effort in a purple patch for the band that has seen them issue a mammoth 4CD retrospective collection just last year (you should buy it), and the well-received ‘Time Is The Fire’ album at the beginning of 2026.

The Blade are on fire. From the opening Riff-tastic ‘Screaming Evil’ its heavy as an anvil yet steeped in history and bedding in the bands early style the sound is huge, with thunderous rhythms and guitars that see the band mix it up with old school riffs and that rumbling bass and with Alan Marsh handling the vocals there’s a comforting familiarity, and the guy doesn’t sound like he’s aged at all.

Hailing from Wiltshire, forming in 1982, Tokyo Blade was initially considered part of the NWOBHM scene but quickly outgrew the tag, enduring over the course of 14 studio albums and five EPs. Sure, it’s not the debut standard, nor is it the ‘Night Of The Blade’ but not may NWOBHM bands could repeat such outstanding rock. However, I’ll let you into a secret my period of Tokyo Blade was The Black Hearts era. I absolutely loved that period, and why not? they were fantastic. That my friends was many moons ago the band has reformed and evolved and reflected on who and what they are over many decades since and we arrive in the here and now with 2026 Blade, and they deserve all the credit they will get for penning fourteen top notch metal tunes.

The rockers will be impressed with the riffs of ‘Too Wired To Sleep’ with its thunderous double kick attack and Marsh screaming like a teen. ‘Get Me Outa This’ is more melodic, whereas the title track is epic with its surround sound cinemascope intro right through its six plus minutes. ‘I’m Gonna Rise’ is more measured and slower in its attack, but again the vocals are like their superpower. ‘Sweet Desolation’ is the closest to old school Blade from the licks to the tempo and vocals, its a real blast with yet more huge production.

If you want out and out raging metal, then look no further than the muscular ‘When The Hammer Falls’. To be fair, the ebb and flow is excellent, and if there is any criticism, then it would be the length of some of the tracks, with so many songs on offer to have five plus and six plus minute songs stretches my addled brain.

With no time for ballads, not even the closing slower number, are there any slushy tunes it’s all lean, mean rockin machines and Boulton and Marsh should take a bow after delivering a loud and proud slab of rock in 2026. Many bands from their origins are long gone or surviving as tribute bands showing up once in a blue moon, but not The mighty Blade they’re still hacking and slashing away at the coalface with a ton of new material and pushing themselves. Never give up lads, up the Blade now go buy this album it rocks.

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Author: Dom Daley