Tailgunner's 'Midnight Blitz' - Album Review

With the exception of Glamour of the Kill's latest offering, everything that I have covered so far this year new album-wise has been from long-established acts. Even Glamour of the Kill have quite a history at this point, despite a lengthy hiatus, so feel like part of the furniture despite only just releasing their third album - but today's featured artist, until recently, only had a single album to their name. That band is Tailgunner, from the UK, a five-piece classic-sounding heavy metal band that have started to make some waves in recent years. Whilst Encyclopaedia Metallum suggests that they formed back in 2018, it does not look like the first full line-up came together until 2020 - with singles dropping in 2022 in advance of their debut album Guns for Hire coming out in 2023. I feel like I had heard Tailgunner's name mentioned occasionally beforehand, but I truly came into contact with the band in 2024 - when I saw them opening for both Armored Saint and KK's Priest in quick succession. I had picked up Guns for Hire in advance of seeing the band live, and had enjoyed it, but I think it was those two gigs that really made me a fan. Everything just sounded so much bigger live - and the band clearly put a lot of effort into their presentation, too, with an electric stage presence and excellent retro outfits. I had tickets to see the band headline in Bridgwater later in 2024, too, but a combination of not feeling too great following another gig the previous night and, what ended up being well-founded, concerns relating to getting home the following day given the weather forecast. I would have likely been stranded in Bridgwater had I gone to the show, so it was probably for the best that I ended up giving it a miss, but I was looking forward to seeing the band headline and playing a longer set. 2024 was a busy year for the band on the road, but last year was less so overall. The band still got out and about to play some shows, but much of the year seemed focused on writing and recording album number two. Guns for Hire was released through a small label, Fireflash Records, but the band's profile has risen quite significantly since 2023 - and album number two, which is called Midnight Blitz, was released earlier this month on Napalm Records. Tailgunner have stepped up in the world, then, and their tour with KK's Priest clearly made an impression on the former Judas Priest guitarist - as KK Downing ended up working with the band to produce Midnight Blitz. It looks like the video for the album's title track was filmed at KK's Steel Mill, too, Downing's Wolverhampton venue, meaning that everything here just looks and feels a little glossier this time. Sound-wise, though, Tailgunner have not changed significantly on album number two. This is very much a traditional heavy metal album in sound, with lots of Iron Maiden influences on show, but with a thrash-like pace at times and even the odd hint of the tougher end of power metal. Tailgunner rarely feel as heavy as most thrash bands, but most of the band's material races along at quite a click - meaning that the 10 songs here generally feel pretty energetic. The songs are perhaps a little more concise overall on this album compared to the debut, too, with the arrangements mostly feeling a tighter. In terms of line-up, three of the five that made Guns for Hire return, with frontman Craig Cairns, guitarist Zach Salvini, and bassist and apparent bandleader Thomas Hewson, also known as Bones, having all been in place since 2020. Making their debuts in the studio with the band here, though, are guitarist Rhea Thompson, who has played live with the band since 2023, and drummer Eddie Mariotti (Mass Crysis; Coltre), who came on board last year.

For lovers of 1980s metal, then, this album is rather joyous. There will certainly be plenty more original-sounding albums released this year, but as far as this brand of traditional, melodic heavy metal goes I cannot imagine there will be an album in 2026 which is substantially better than this. Kicking off with its title track, the album sets the tone for the next 45 or so minutes from the off. I knew from first hearing this song that the album would be a strong one, even if the opening air raid siren noises are somewhat cliché, and the opening twin lead guitar harmonies are immediately exciting. Salvini and Thompson are busy throughout this album, and lead guitar moments are rarely far away. That being said, though, any lead and solo work is always there to serve the song - and their focus on riffing is just as potent. The song's main riff, following the initial guitar leads, is powerful, then, and the hard-driving pattern later forms the basis of a chunky and fairly fast-moving verse. Cairns is introduced here, and he delivers again vocally. He sounded great on the first album, but perhaps his tone and approach is a little more focused and consistent this time - and it feels as if he has grown as a singer over the past few years. His delivery during the song's powerful and hooky chorus, whilst backed by a strong guitar lead, feels grittier than anything he has done previously - and he manages to add some heaviness whilst still allowing the melodies to flow. Both guitarists solo later in the track, allowing for a busy and fast-paced instrumental section, whilst the song later closes with some impressive high vocals from Cairns. Taking a more mid-paced approach, with a somewhat epic edge, the Blade Runner-influenced Tears in Rain is less furious than the opening cut - showing that the band can approach a song in different ways. Soaring guitar leads open things up, but parts of the song are fairly low key - with Hewson's bass driving the verses whilst Cairns sings in a more restrained and emotive manner. Guitar chords and occasional melodies add depth to these verses, but generally the bass and vocals do the heavy lifting here - before the band crash back in in a bigger way for the anthemic chorus. Cairns switches styles here, returning to the grittier approach from the previous song - contrasting nicely between the verses and chorus, whilst crunching power chords and another melodic guitar lead back his anthemic delivery. The mix of the sparser verses, the busy chorus, and a couple of busy guitar solo sections allow the song to build naturally and, even though it is not especially lengthy, it feels like the sort of song which later longer pieces build on. Follow Me in Death returns to the pace of the opening number, but there is more of an overt pace this time - with Mariotti's double bass drumming driving everything throughout. This is one of the songs with a thrash-like pace - but the overall vibe is more similar to bands like Primal Fear, albeit with less gritty vocals. Twin guitar melodies dominate the song's intro, but the verses generally see machine gun riffing and occasional shredded accents back Cairns' melodic vocal delivery - whilst the chorus later does that classic power metal thing of somewhat slowing the chord progression down to appear to slow things down whilst the double bass drumming continues on at pace. This allows the chorus to shine, and it is one that has grown on me a fair bit since first hearing the album. The song was not one of my favourites at first but it has since risen up the ranks thanks to this epic chorus approach and the interlocking guitar riffing.

Perhaps the most power metal-esque track here, though, is the upbeat and bouncy Dead Until Dark, a snappy and fun song that sticks in the brain from the off. Cairns sings the song's title to kick things off as some strange synths and distorted guitars swirl around him, before another high-octane guitar pattern introduces the song proper. Whilst not as fast as the previous song, it is still a pacy number - with Mariotti leaving his double bass drums alone somewhat to lay down a more straight ahead groove. Hewson's bass once again dominates during the verses, but the guitars are more prominent this time - and the song builds towards a chorus which is snappy and fast-moving, with clever vocal melodies and a closing riff which elevates the fun nature of the song overall, sounding like a more grounded version of something a band like Beast in Black might come up with. Both guitarists solo again, with two distinct solos impressing, and the song is sure to become a live favourite due to its energy. Barren Lands & Seas of Red then takes a heavier turn, upping the pace once again. Fast double bass drumming again drives this one, whilst the band's usual twin lead guitar approach is largely reined in this time - instead allowing riffing to dominate, especially during the intro and the verses. There are some thrashy overtones here, then, especially from the more melodic end of the genre and bands like Annihilator, but the band's trademark sound is still realised. There are a few moments where the classic twin lead guitars burst through - generally to signal a transition to the next part of the song. The fact that these guitar moments are utilised less here means that the ones that are included hit harder - but the riffing and more hard-driving approach generally taken here is welcome overall to provide some variety. There is an epic nature on show here, too, largely as the song is one of the longer cuts here and due to the chorus being both melodic and sweeping. The Iron Maiden influence is obvious during the chorus, with the melodies very Bruce Dickinson-esque - but the overall pace keeps the song sounding more intense than anything Iron Maiden have done for many years. Lengthy guitar solos and some busy, somewhat progressive instrumental breaks fuel this vibe, too, allowing the song overall to become the album's real centrepiece. War in Heaven takes a bit of a turn, next, slowing things down and presenting the band's first proper ballad. Adam Wakeman (Ozzy Osbourne; Headspace; Strawbs; Snakecharmer) adds some keyboards to the slow-burning track. His playing dominates early on, with spacey synth melodies adding depth behind some clean guitar melodies and Cairns' lower than typical vocal delivery. The verses are essentially just vocals, guitars, and keyboards - whilst the chorus is much more involved, with the drums crashing in and some heavier guitars. The synth melodies remain, though, adding a different edge - whilst bluesier guitar leads are utilised in place of the band's usual shredded approach. Having a true ballad here adds further variety to the album - and it is good to see the band branch out into this type of songwriting. Blood Sacrifice is more typical of the band's core sound, though, with a Mariotti drum barrage returning the band to heavier territories. This is another fast-paced track, with double bass drumming throughout - whilst the heavier approach from Barren Lands & Seas of Red is largely retained. Fewer twin lead guitar moments are utilised here, but the chorus is backed by another snappy and instantly memorable guitar lead - whilst looser soloing is utilised elsewhere to allow a moment of danger to match the song's pace. It might not be the most anthemic of songs here, but it is another which has grown on me quite a bit - and the relentless pace helps.

The album is very much on the home straight at this point, and Night Raids seems to open slowly - before another big guitar melody kicks in, and the song storms away, again at pace. Not as furious as the previous song, though, this is a track which feels more melodic overall - with the guitar leads which were somewhat more absent from the previous song back again here. The song's opening is filled with busy lead work, whilst the chorus is again backed by some fluid playing. The verses are more crunchy, but there is a smoothness to them thanks to Cairns' vocal melodies. There is something a bit different about his vocal delivery here - and it feels nicely curated. There is a storytelling approach to his singing during the verses - and his performance is really what makes the song tick. The verses are not that interesting musically, but the vocal melodies really make them work - and the chorus is aided by that classic combination of big vocals and busy lead guitar. Lots of guitar soloing is included later on, with both players clearly trading licks back and forth - with some moments seeing them solo together. The last of this trilogy of faster paced songs during the album's back end, Eye of the Storm, perhaps reins in the pace overall compared to the previous couple of songs - but it still feels pretty energetic for the most part, thanks to a busy opening riff-led section and a bit of a shout-along chorus which is climaxed by some precise and melodic guitar harmonies. Parts of the some of the verses are a bit more stripped back, with the pace dropping and a more cinematic backing allowing Cairns' voice to shine - but mostly the song feels pretty energetic and hard-driving, with a good mix of snappy riffing and soaring guitar leads. The precise nature of the guitar playing extends to the solo, too, which features some slower licks - with plenty of tremolo arm action to give the solo a bit of a different edge. Overall, though, the song is very typical of the Tailgunner sound despite some moments of a slower, more cinematic approach - and the chorus is another strong one thanks to a mix of simple hooks and a more drawn out approach. The album then comes to a close with Eulogy - another number, like Barren Lands & Seas of Red, which is a little longer overall and feels a bit more involved. It opens in a somewhat slower manner, with interlocking guitar leads and percussive drumming - but once Mariotti lays down a busy drum barrage the song kicks off properly at pace. Despite the track feeling more epic and expansive overall, this does not mean that the band hold back and space the arrangement out. This song is another with thrash-like pace at times, with the verses really speeding along thanks to plenty of double bass drumming and tight guitar riffing. The chorus is also fast, but it is another which pulls that trick of feeling like it is a bit slower overall thanks to the slower chord progressions - even though in the background the drums are still really pounding away. The chorus does feel pretty epic as a result, though, and Cairns' vocal melodies are allowed to shine thanks to the slower chord changes - and his melodies really hit home as a result. The guitar solo section is lengthy, too, with lots of high-octane and fast-paced melodies - including a lengthy sweep-picked section which aids the thrash-like feel of parts of the song nicely. The slightly longer nature of the song as well as this one last big chorus means that the album goes out on a high - and the 10 songs here really fly by as a result of the overall pace and plentiful hooks. I liked Guns for Hire but Midnight Blitz feels like a more assured album overall. I feel like Thompson has been a great addition to the band. She impressed live, and her and Salvini work magic throughout the album - and the intensity just feels more apparent here as a result. This is a step up for the band, and with quite a lot of shows planned for 2026 - this could be the year that Tailgunner really push on.

The album was released on 6th February 2026 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Midnight Blitz.