Salem UK - 'Outer Limits'
Reviewed by Richie Adams • 2 April 2025
Salem have been around the block. Hailing, originally from Hull, the band formed in 1979 very much wearing the heavy metal cloak of the time and sounding like their new wave of British heavy metal contemporaries. Their star burned out quickly though, and in 1983 the members hung up their rock shoes to go and do other things.
Music does have a habit of surviving in the soul and in 2009 they popped up again, this time adding a UK to the end of their name, Salem UK was ready to rock once more.
The road to rocking never runs smoothly. By the time we get to the present day, there have been four albums, several changes of personnel and a court case between members, all conducted in the name of Salem UK.
So, with all that water under the bridge, what does this iteration of the band have to offer?
Outer Limits is their new long player and sets out a very clear agenda from the opening song – we are here to rock!
A brief fairground overture takes us into the first of the 10 songs on offer. “Rock You” unashamedly sets out just what the band want to do. Drum and bass heavy, this a driving start to the record.
This is an album, the of kind of which, you would expect from a NHOCBHM band and that is a good thing. There is riffage in abundance. There’s a ballad in the mix - “Red Light” which takes things down a notch. “Miss Fortune” has that searing guitar into that is so synonymous with the genre. The mix is drum heavy, there are operatic vocals and some banging solos.
Some of the lyrics are reflective, “Overrider” and “Miss Fortune” both sound to be songs of lost love.
“Meteorite” is my pick of the bunch. It has a real Iron Maiden feel to it at the start and develops into a bit of a prog vibe as it goes on.
This is an album that reminded me of being 14, of sitting in my bedroom wearing a rock t-shirt and just banging my heard along to every tune. I suspect this record will convert very easily into the live setting and I can see my, slightly older, self banging my head along with this in a concert hall or festival tent very soon.
It’s good to have survivors back and I love listening to new stuff. This is a new record, but the sound and vibe are things of the classic fayre of a few decades ago. This is, in the best possible way, retro rock and if you like Maiden, the Tygers and Saxon you will love this.
Dig out your old cut off and look at the patches and smile as you give it a listen.