TYGERS OF PAN TANG - 'Ambush' reissue 2020

A debut for bassist Gav Gray who along with founding guitarist Robb Weir and other members Dean Robertson, Jack Meille and Craig Ellis made an album where each and every one of them brought their A game and the band fired on all cylinders.

Moving on 8 years with the original album now out of circulation, it has been remastered and re released by Mighty Music with the inclusion of 4 bonus tracks, 2 of which are live and sleeve notes from each band member.

The 2 live tracks are ‘Keeping Me Alive' and ‘These Eyes’ both fantastic songs live and captured exactly as they sound on stage perfectly on the album.

The album listing is as was in 2012 with opener ‘Keeping Me Alive‘ a good old fashioned heads down, no nonsense rock track keeping in line with the bands traditional values and leaving the listener with no doubt what to expect for the rest of the album.

’These Eyes ‘ is up next with an impressive opening riff that instantly brings thoughts of the Scorpions in their heyday but vocalist Meille makes the song all his own and no one else's.

‘One of a kind‘ and ‘Rock & Roll Dream'  are the next 2 tracks up and both have the typical Tygers trait (bit of a tongue twister) that we have come to love over the years with huge riffs and burst your eardrums sound.

’She’ is the next song and has a line in it which says ‘"You never see it coming, it comes out the blue" which are perfect lyrics for the song as the song just hIts you between the eyes, and is one of my favourites on the album.

’Man on Fire‘, ‘Play to Win’, ‘Burning Desire‘ and ‘Mr Indispensable‘ all showcase the the talents of twin guitarists Robb Weir & Dean Robertson although none more so than on ‘Hey Suzie‘ which is just one of those songs you hear and sticks in your head.

Bassist Gav Gray stamps his backline authority with drummer Craig Ellis all over this album, and in my opinion even more so on this remaster.

Vocalist Jacopo (Jack) Meille has an amazing voice with an outstanding range which bursts out all over the album, again sounding crisper and brighter on this version as do the guitars . 

Previously unreleased track ‘Cruel Hands of Time' has been added although it is strangely labelled as a studio outtake which it clearly is not and features a fantastic guitar solo.

All in all Ambush is still a phenomenal album, go out buy it, download it or even steal it, you wont be disappointed.