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PRAYING MANTIS - TIME TELLS NO LIES (1981, ARISTA)

Tino Troy - vocals, guitars; Steve Carroll- guitars, vocals; Chris Troy - bass, vocals; Dave Potts - drums

When one thinks about the early days of the NWOBHM, a couple of bands spring to mind. Iron Maiden , Saxon , Def Leppard , Diamondhead , and Praying Mantis. Yes, these London based boys forrmed around the Greek brothers Tino and Chris Troy were right there at the start, and had a commendable following to boot. Drumming up support with a series of demo tapes between 1978-1980, the band also added to their reputation with solid UK tours alongside Iron Maiden , as well as one on their own. Joining the band during 1980 were Dave Potts (ex Ten Years After ), and another singer/guitarist in Steve Carroll. After playing the Reading Festival, the band signed a deal with Arista, and got in Tim Friese-Greene ( Touch ) to produce the album.

The band had a professional sheen by the time the recording was made. Evidenced on songs such as 'Cheated' and 'Rich City Kids'. The twin guitar approach from Tino Troy and Steve Carroll add some depth to the tracks, and they can be heard on classic Mantis tunes such as 'Running From Tomorrow' and 'Panic In The Streets'. These both get an airing, and ensure the British-ness of the material. The remainder of the songs are all solid efforts.

For whatever reason, the album seemed to flop. Perhaps a year too late? Who knows. In any case, they soldiered on, underwent some lineup changes, and there was talk of a second album in the wings which never materialised. They recruited Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr into the fold about 1985 and changed their name to Stratus . The result was excellent AOR but again, a flop. They disappeared off the map during the latter part of the eighties.

However, during the 1990's, the band got a second life thanks to incredible support from Japan. As a result, and very much to this day, the band are going stronger than ever. They've had numerous album releases between 1991 and 2000 such as 'Predator', 'Cry For The New World', 'Forever In Time', and their latest opus 'Nowhere To Hide'. An excellent band, and well worth rediscovering.

Review By: George Thatcher

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