Tank: Filth Hounds of Hades LP (1982)

Tank are one of those New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) bands that did not receive as much attention in the U.S. as groups like Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. I'm not sure if that's because their albums were imports and cost a good deal more than domestic imprints or what.

I remember going to Rockpile Records in Goleta with my brother every few weeks to dig through their bins of imports to see what rarities we could find. We would also hit up the long haired dude who worked there (I think he was the owner) for his suggestions. I can't recall his name after all these years.

After discovering Tank, I played the shit out of this album pretty much every day when I was in seventh and eighth grade and it still rocks just as hard all these years later. Motorhead's guitarist, Fast Eddie Clark, produced the LP. So if you like Motorhead, you will like this.

Download here.



The lineup on this album is Algy Ward on bass and vocals, Peter James Brabbs on guitar, and Mark Arthur Brabbs on drums. Ward also played bass on the Damned's "Machine Gun Etiquette" (1979). This is the classic configuration and the only one that matters to me. The 12" single with "Don't Walk Away" and "Hammer On" released in 1981 is excellent. Anything released after this album (1982) is not nearly as interesting or as good.

Song List:

1. "Shellshock" – 3:10
2. "Struck by Lightning" – 3:10
3. "Run Like Hell" – 3:40
4. "Blood, Guts, and Beer" – 3:42
5. "That What Dreams Are Made Of" – 5:32
6. "Turn Your Head Around" – 3:25
7. "Heavy Artillery" – 3:28
8. "Who Needs Love Songs" – 3:06
9. "Filth Hounds of Hades" – 3:56
10. "(He Fell in Love with a) Stormtrooper" – 5:17

Tank: Run Like Hell

Tank: Turn Your Head Around

BONUS: Tank: Don't Walk Away (from 12" EP)