Loud, fast, and proudly old school, Tailgunner's Midnight Blitz plants its flag in the soil of New Wave of British Heavy Metal but manages to sprout something new out of the dirt. Following their explosive 2023 debut, the London-based quintet keep their blades sharp with songs filled with galloping rhythms, twin-lead guitar heroics, and choruses built to be shouted on the battlefields of metal. The band’s evolution is no accident. After logging more than 100 shows and sharing stages with members of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Accept, Tailgunner took everything they learned on the road and bled it straight onto tape.

At the center of Midnight Blitz is producer K. K. Downing. The Judas Priest legend didn’t just give his blessing to the band, he gifted them his year of knowledge and wisdom. His presence is felt in the album’s steel-plated riffs and sense of drama, a full-circle moment that connects metal’s past directly to its future. The title track kickstarts the record, all blitzkrieg drums and screaming guitars evoking the adrenaline rush of classic openers like “Aces High” or “Painkiller.” No one is trying to be subtle here, they’re trying (and succeeding) to make the hair stand up on the back of your neck.

“Tears In Rain,” inspired by the iconic Blade Runner monologue, shows another side of the band’s growing ambition. Craig Cairns delivers one of his most commanding vocal performances yet, steering the song toward an arena-sized chorus that feels destined for sing-alongs deep into the night. It’s soaring heavy metal, reverent of the '80s but tuned to the here and now. Elsewhere, Tailgunner stretch their sound without letting up. “Eulogy” begins with orchestral grace before detonating into a speed-metal finale, fists-in-the-air stuff that proves you can borrow always borrow from the past as long as you still hit hard today. On “War In Heaven,” the band takes on the sacred task of the metal ballad, enlisting Adam Wakeman on synths to add extra melodrama. The payoff is massive, complete with a guitar solo that aims to etch itself into heavy metal lore.

Tailgunner once described themselves as the “bastard child of Maiden and Priest,” and Midnight Blitz wears that identity without shame. But this album isn’t about worshipping at the altar, it’s about standing on it, amplifiers blazing, and staking claim for a new generation.