NWOTHM
UK

Releasing 30th October, 2026

With no forthcoming slow down of the new wave of traditional heavy metal, Nottingham’s RATTLESNAKES add fuel to the fire with a new album that Mat at Metal Is Good & Stuff got to hear prior to release…

My personal connection with Nottinghamshire goes back before my love of heavy metal music.
Although heavy metal was connected, I was into the hobby of painting tabletop gaming miniatures from Games Workshop (in those days, they were made of lead, which would explain quite a lot).

Then, heavy metal became something to hear as well, when Notts bands like Sabbat, Earthtone 9, Pitchshifter and Iron Monkey became part of my new all engrossing pastime of choice.

Little has changed. The miniatures are gone, but the music remains, and now a newer name enters the fray with RATTLESNAKES.

SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT is the debut album from the trad metallers and it cannot be denied that there must be something in the water in that neck of the woods that breeds such artists.

These five artisans of the classic sound have managed to come up with an album that does the usual NWOTHM nostalgic trip while also ensuring a modern leaning attitude. Also, what stands out is that this is a band where the members are in their early twenties. I’ve seen and heard many bands of their age and a couple that are younger, but most of them supply sounds more becoming their age and era. RATTLESNAKES have chosen a path well trodden and a long time documented, and their debut, SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT is a take on old tricks for new dogs.

This is a lean collection of tracks that have a powerful impact from the get go. The guitars have weight and the solo work is exceptional, as well as the planet crushing backline of bass and drums.
What stands RATTLESNAKES apart are the vocals. ROWENA has got a very impressive voice on her. It slams home with gnarly intent on every song while harking a melodious throwback to those most golden days of heavy metal’s rise to the mainstream.

After the ballistic fury of the opening title track, FOREVER offers up some hard rocking, mid tempo swagger full of low end and soaring choruses.
There is a moment of Mötörhead meeting Helloween on BREAKDOWN, while some 80s cheese is evident on SPELLBOUND.This is no put down, believe me.

Being of a certain age that was there during the age of metal renaissance (add any two members age together and I’m still older), I find myself listening with an element of mild cynicism. While the song DESTROYER has that fire in it’s belly, I can’t not hear elements of Barracuda by Heart. Although it took me two decades and a certain San Andreas game to appreciate the Heart classic, it is a welcome nod here.

It is by the final track that something occurred to me.
SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT is an album inspired by the historian, not the history makers. To be caught between these two disciplines is a new sensation for me.
Where the extremes from those days of thrash and death metal have kept a somewhat rigid thinking of structure and sound. Traditional metal has been a fluid entity entirely, to the point where NWOBHM breeds NWOTHM.

Like others in this field, RATTLESNAKES have amalgamated and condensed a sound of a time and, where one might find repeats and reprises of an era, they find the bits that still excite.
It may give pause for thought to the old guard, but this album will make you ditch those dusty “Now That’s what I Call 80s Metal” CDs and give the kids their say.

You will definitely learn something from it.

SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT will release on the 30th of October through Listenable Records.

Go to Listenable Records website (HERE) to preorder CD or vinyl copies.

Also available to stream from major services on release.