Vim Fuego Wolfsbane will forever suffer the same fate as Flotsam and Jetsam, Exodus and Suicidal Tendencies and Samson. Yes, the former member who goes on to bigger and better things syndrome. Flotsam And Jetsam, Exodus and Suicidal Tendencies all provided Metallica with new members, while Samson and Wolfsbane both gave Iron Maiden a voice.

No one makes music like this any more. Wolfsbane were one of the supposed new saviours of the British rock scene in the early 1990s. Taking cues from the NWOBHM, their sound borrowed heavily from the likes of Iron Maiden and Saxon, via Motley Crüe. This six song release showcased the full range of Wolfsbane's abilities in one easily digested package.

And what brilliant fun it all is! Galloping tracks like "Steel" and "Loco", an LA cock rock sound-alike in "Paint The Town Red", the schoolboy sleaze of "Totally Nude", the compulsory power ballad in "Hey Babe", and the b-movie sci-fi tribute of "Kathy Wilson".

Of course, we all know Blaze went on to sing for Iron Maiden, but his work in Wolfsbane was under appreciated. While Bruce Dickinson is the obvious comparison, Blaze's voice also contains elements of David Lee Roth, Saxon's Biff Byford, and the odd touch of Peter Frampton. That said, his voice really is unique, which was perhaps his undoing in Maiden.

But Wolfsbane was hardly "Blaze Bayley and supporting musicians". This lot were a band in the truest sense. And what a band. On this and other releases, Wolfsbane created energetic, fun metal/rock. "Loco" gives guitar ace Jase Edwards the chance to show off a little. When this was released in 1990, guitar slingers like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai were very popular. While not quite up to their self-indulgent histrionics, the guy can play, and unlike Vai (playing in Whitesnake at the time), his virtuosity suits the band's style very nicely.

This forgotten gem would be excellent for listening to while at a party at a mate's house. It's easy to listen to, even for non-metal fans, you can jump about to it, and it's a lot of fun. It is also of curiosity value to see what Blaze was doing pre-Maiden.

Stephen Bayley maybe wasn't built for IRON MAIDEN but if anyone being the best frontman for WOLFSBANE, he's no doubt the perfect pick. They're back again and trying to save the heavy metal world with eleven adrenaline-pumping songs, carefully picked and crafted, and lots of variety added, including some groovy element and punkish slab, as well as ballad.

The opening track, 'Blue Sky', is a very good start, the chorus is ultra melodic and catchy enough to be the track of the day. Even though I personally pick 'Smoke And Red Light' as the best song here, this has such an amazing party vibe on the chorus. 'Teacher'is an enjoyable uplifting tune; 'Starlight' is a good straight forward ballad; the pure metal madness in 'Live Before I Die' is an interesting attempt; and the great groove in 'Did It For The Money!' deserved an applause.

However I have not very confident with several other tracks such as 'Buy My Pain', I'm not sure the punkish thing is really an excellent choice of diversification for them; 'Illusion of Love' and 'Who Are You Now?' sounds like a left-over filler; and 'Child of The Sun' is quite slow and dreary. The production is also good and overall, it might take more than few spins to enjoy, but I guess WOLFSBANE did a satisfying job here.