SPARTAN WARRIOR Steel n' Chains LP Vinyl NWOBHM Saxon Judas Priest Venom Raven
$
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Description
SPARTAN WARRIOR
Steel n' Chains LP BLACK Vinyl
Sealed, brand new.
Imported from Germany's HIGH ROLLER RECORDS.
High Roller Records, black vinyl, ltd 200, 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, 4 page insert, poster
Dave Wilkinson - Vocals
Neil Wilkinson - Guitars
Paul Swaddle - Guitars
Tom Spencer - Bass
Gordon Webster - Drums
01 Cold Hearted
02 Stormer
03 Easy Prey
04 Breakin' Sweat
05 Steel n'Chains
06 It's Alright
07 Hell Hath No Mercy
08 Don't Wanna Be a Loser
09 Witchfinder
10 Hunted
Transfer and mastering by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY in May 2025.
Originally released in 1983, Spartan Warrior’s debut album Steel N’ Chains is a true lost gem of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. Based in Sunderland, in the north east of the UK, the band only released one further album and a pair of tracks on a compilation album before hitting the buffers, yet they gigged hard and worked up a following which ensured they weren’t forgotten. Spartan Warrior came into being when a local band named Deceiver – featuring bassist Tom Spencer and drummer Gordon Webster – were looking for a new vocalist and David Wilkinson successfully auditioned. Over time, Wilkinson’s brother Neil and another guitarist, John Stormont, joined the band, and it was this line-up that recorded two songs, ‘Steel N’ Chains’ and ‘Easy Prey’ (mistakenly titled ‘Comes As No Surprise’ on the LP sleeve) for Guardian Records’ Pure Overkill compilation. The label offered Spartan Warrior a record deal and, with Stormont now replaced by Paul Swaddle, a further eight songs were recorded and with the addition of the Pure Overkill recordings Steel N’ Chains was complete. The record sold well and the buzz around the band reached Roadrunner Records who signed them for a second album, although after its release David Wilkinson left and the band struggled to continue, splitting by the mid-1980s. The band reformed around 2006 and have played a number of festivals across Europe. But it all started here with their classy debut record, Steel N’ Chains. A great album from a great band.
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SPARTAN WARRIOR - STEEL N' CHAINS
Spartan Warrior is a highly regarded band from Sunderland, in the North East of the UK, that played a crucial role in the second wave of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement. Formed in 1980, the band quickly established a sound that was less raw and punk-influenced than some of their peers, instead focusing on melodic, traditional heavy metal with strong emphasis on twin-guitar harmonies and powerful, clear vocals. Key musical influences cited by the band members included UFO, Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, and Iron Maiden, all of which contributed to their blend of galloping rhythms and hard-driving riffs. Their commitment to the classic metal sound earned them a loyal following in the underground scene through rigorous gigging.
The debut album, Steel N' Chains, was originally released in 1983 on Guardian Records 'N' Tapes. It is considered a true lost gem of the NWOBHM era and a defining statement of the band's early career. The album came about after the band contributed two tracks, the title track "Steel N' Chains" and "Easy Prey," to the Guardian Records compilation Pure Overkill. The strength of these songs led to a full record deal. The album features a classic NWOBHM sound, characterized by heavy, riff-oriented compositions, dual-guitar attacks, and a solid rhythm section that makes for an exhilarating listen.
Lyrically, the album adheres to the themes popular in the genre at the time, dealing with subjects like fantasy, witchcraft ("Witchfinder"), war, and the heavy metal lifestyle. The tracklist is an essential snapshot of early 80s British metal, featuring favorites like "Cold Hearted," "Stormer," and the eight-minute epic "Hunted." The album’s success led to a deal with Roadrunner Records for their self-titled second album, but internal tensions and label issues caused the band to split by the mid-1980s.
Due to its high quality and original rarity as a single-label release, Steel N' Chains has achieved significant cult status among heavy metal collectors. It is frequently cited as a must-have for NWOBHM completists. The band reunited around 2006 and has since released new material, proving that their recognizable NWOBHM sound remains at the forefront of their identity. The album continues to be reissued by dedicated metal labels like High Roller Records, ensuring that this classy debut record remains accessible to a new generation of traditional metal fans.
50 SIMILAR COLLECTIBLE ARTISTS AND ALBUMS
Spartan Warrior's music is a quintessential example of NWOBHM with a leaning toward the traditional, melodic style popularized by Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. This list highlights essential collectibles from the NWOBHM, Traditional Heavy Metal, and related Speed/Power Metal movements.
# Artist Album Title Year Genre Overlap 1 Iron Maiden Killers 1981 NWOBHM / Foundational 2 Saxon Strong Arm of the Law 1980 NWOBHM / Driving Riffs 3 Raven All for One 1983 NWOBHM / Speed Metal 4 Angel Witch Angel Witch 1980 NWOBHM / Occult Themes 5 Grim Reaper See You in Hell 1983 NWOBHM / Traditional Metal 6 Cloven Hoof Cloven Hoof 1984 NWOBHM / Epic Themes 7 Jaguar Power Games 1983 NWOBHM / Speed Metal 8 Tygers of Pan Tang Crazy Nights 1981 NWOBHM / Melodic 9 Witchfinder General Death Penalty 1982 NWOBHM / Doom Metal 10 Satan Court in the Act 1983 NWOBHM / Power Metal 11 Holocaust The Nightcomers 1981 NWOBHM / Raw Sound 12 Girlschool Demolition 1980 NWOBHM / Punk Edge 13 Tokyo Blade Tokyo Blade 1983 NWOBHM / Melodic 14 Diamond Head Lightning to the Nations 1980 NWOBHM / Foundational 15 Virtue We Stand to Fight (EP) 1985 NWOBHM / Power Metal 16 Dark Star Dark Star 1981 NWOBHM / Traditional Metal 17 Legend (Jersey) From the Fjords 1979 NWOBHM Precursor / Epic 18 Praying Mantis Time Tells No Lies 1981 NWOBHM / Melodic 19 Vardis 100 M.P.H. 1980 NWOBHM / Speed/Boots 'n' Braces 20 Tank Filth Hounds of Hades 1982 NWOBHM / Raw Speed 21 Tytan Rough Justice 1985 NWOBHM / Traditional Metal 22 Persian Risk Rise Up 1986 NWOBHM / High Energy 23 Exciter Heavy Metal Maniac 1983 Canadian Speed Metal 24 Manowar Battle Hymns 1982 US Heavy Metal / Epic 25 Overkill Feel the Fire 1985 US Thrash/Speed Metal 26 Judas Priest Stained Class 1978 Traditional Heavy Metal (Precursor) 27 Accept Balls to the Wall 1983 German Heavy Metal 28 Helloween Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I 1987 German Power Metal 29 Savage Grace Master of Disguise 1985 US Power/Speed Metal 30 Oz Fire in the Brain 1983 Finnish/Swedish Speed Metal 31 Riot Thundersteel 1988 US Power/Speed Metal Revival 32 Helstar Remnants of War 1986 US Power Metal / Speed Metal 33 Warlord Deliver Us (EP) 1983 US Power Metal / Epic Metal 34 Metal Church Metal Church 1984 US Heavy Metal / Power Metal 35 Armored Saint March of the Saint 1984 US Heavy Metal / Power Metal 36 Cirith Ungol King of the Dead 1984 Epic US Metal / Cult 37 Sentinel Beast Depths of Death 1986 US Speed Metal 38 Chastain Mystery of Illusion 1985 US Heavy/Power Metal 39 Cinzano Cinzano (Compilation) 1983 NWOBHM Obscurity 40 Blitzkrieg A Time of Changes 1985 NWOBHM 41 Gaskin End of the World 1981 NWOBHM / Traditional Metal 42 Bitches Sin Invaders 1982 NWOBHM / Speed Metal 43 Dark Heart Shadows of the Night 1984 UK Power Metal 44 Millennium Millennium 1984 NWOBHM / Power Metal 45 Picture Heavy Metal Ears 1980 Dutch Heavy Metal 46 Acid Maniac 1983 Belgian Speed Metal 47 Witch Cross Fit for Fight 1984 Danish Heavy Metal 48 Ostrogoth Ecstasy and Danger 1984 Belgian Heavy Metal 49 Demon The Unexpected Guest 1982 NWOBHM / Thematic 50 Trespass Head on 1984 NWOBHM / Traditional Metalprice rating
