TAILGUNNER – Guns For Hire

There are often young bands that come out paying homage to the great Heavy Metal bands of the past, and Tailgunner is no exception. Owing their style and sound to legendary bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Megadeth, etc., Tailgunner brings us their own take with their debut album Guns For Hire on Fireflash Records.

Familiar Territory

The ten tracks on Guns For Hire were mixed and mastered by Olof Wikstrand of Enforcer, giving the album an almost vintage flavor, while matching the style of metal these youths have created.

“There was never a conscious decision to play ‘old school’ to us, that’s the way it’s supposed to sound“, adds Thomas Hewson, bass player and main songwriter who always had a burning ambition and total undying love for Heavy Metal. “From the moment I heard AC/DC as a child, I’ve never looked back. Seeing Iron Maiden live at 12 years old was all the confirmation I needed that this was to be my life’s path. I want people to feel empowered when they hear our music, that’s what great Heavy Metal does for me. Music should make you feel like you can take on the world!“

Final Notes

Tailgunner – Guns For Hire is not breaking any new ground musically. The compositions mirror many older Iron Maiden songs in the simple way of going down a 2 steps, then climbing back to the root. The arrangements are fairly standard as well, making the songs feel quite familiar from the first listen. While there is nothing wrong with any of this, it also fails to excite the listener. On a positive note, the band does a very good job on the material, and the album is an easy listen for fans of classic Heavy Metal from the NWOBHM era. The bottom line, Tailgunner – Guns For Hire is an ok album, that shows promise for the future of the band, and is worth a listen.

Tailgunner – Lineup

• Craig Cairns – Vocals
• Patrick van der Völlering – Guitar
• Zach Salvini – Guitar
• Thomas Hewson – Bass
• Sam Caldwell – Drums

Guns For Hire – Track Listings

1. Shadows Of War
2. Guns For Hire
3. White Death
4. Revolution Scream
5. Futures Lost
6. New Horizons
7. Warhead
8. Crashdive
9. Blood For Blood
10. Rebirth