Tygers of Pan Tang
Ritual

The Tygers return, let’s see if they have more bite this time than they did the last time that I wrote about them. The cover looks darker and has a more aggressive tone so perhaps the claws and teeth are sharpened for these “dad-metal” guys. The band themselves probably doesn’t need too much introduction considering that they have been around for a while and are highly regarded amongst many. The reviews for this new album Ritual has been positive based on the ones that I found on a quick web-search, it is often like that where the internet reviewers tend to be very positive. Although, in this case it is easier to understand why they are positive compared with some other albums I have written about.

There are no surprises on the music front, classic heavy metal with pretty catchy choruses and classic hooks. The songs are about what you can expect and the variation more or less what you can expect from an album in the heavy metal genre. On the production front it is pretty fresh and modern, definitely an upside for this album thanks to producer Harry Hess. And the vocalist is decent as well, they are seemingly pressing all the right buttons to appeal to their fans and those who enjoy the more traditional heavy metal style – I see them described as “dad-metal” in many texts and that is probably a good term as the album seems to be targeting the older gentleman.

There isn’t any jumping from joy but a confirming nod towards the album and the guys behind it, I would describe it as a step forward compared with the previous album. This album has more life and approaches the songs with more energy, the opening track is great and there are some other nice hooks throughout the album that gives a positive impression. I would not call it a standout album though, it ticks the boxes but rarely does much more than that and therefore it is an album to listen to and enjoy for a while and then forget. The problem for these tygers is that there are so many other more exciting heavy metal albums to be found out there and you don’t even need to look that hard to find them.

That leads me to the conclusion that while the band has improved upon the predecessor I am not so sure that they have made something to really yearn for. I would not give away this one as a gift for Christmas if I say it like that. It is a solid effort but ultimately the tygers are still quite clawless and without real bite.

HHHHHHH