Coming hot on the heels of the remaster of No Place To Run, the ninth UFO album, The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent, now has the attention. Expanded, remastered from the original tape transfers, and reissued on double CD and triple vinyl, the boxset also includes a new mix of the Hammersmith Odeon show from 29 January 1981. One MetalTalk reader can win a CD Boxset, too, so read on.
With respect to the George Martin produced predecessor, The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent album is just so much better. For me, it is as consistent an album as you can get. Eight quality tracks that flow neatly, beautifully melodic yet still retaining the hard edge that had seen the band hit the heights in the ’70s.
Released in January 1981, The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent saw the band base themselves in London and use three studios to produce the record themselves. Paul Raymond had departed to join former guitarist Michael Schenker in MSG, and into his place stepped Neil Carter.
UFO – Phil Mogg reflects on Deluxe 2026 remaster of The Wild, The Willing and The Innocent, out 1 May 2026 via Chrysalis Records.
According to my recent chat with singer Phil Mogg, Neil played on more of the album than the rumours stated, with it being alleged that engineer Gary Edwards’ brother played most of the keys. Regardless, it is a superb album that showcases Paul ‘Tonka’ Chapman’s quality, probably the finest record of his career and certainly his best with UFO.
Opener Chains Chains kicks things off with a swagger, Chapman’s riff complimented by the thick low-end of Pete Way whilst Andy Parker continues to demonstrate his solidity on drums. Phil is on fine form from the start, with the band’s use of harmonies creating memorable choruses.
Long Gone and the title track follow, clever use of keyboards giving a lush, layered sound that moved slightly away from the heavier rock style on Obsession and Lights Out. The title track is a favourite of mine, although it is Making Moves that is the track from the album played live, making its final appearance at Beatbox in Hannover in June 2022.
Showing their versatility throughout, Lonely Heart is one of the more heavily emotionally charged songs on the album, with Neil Carter adding some inspired saxophone which adds a veritable change of style.
And of course, there is also Tonka’s best solo on the magnificent Profession Of Violence, named after the 1972 book about the Krays. One of the best rock ballads of all time, it is a track that I did not think had ever made it live, although Phil was adamant it had been played (he could not remember where, though!). It is a true fan favourite and still sends shivers down my spine every time I hear it.
Added to this release are the two seven-inch versions of Couldn’t Get It Right and Lonely Heart as well as an outtake of It’s Killing Me, which rounds out the first part nicely.
UFO – The Wild, The Willing and The Innocent – “It was really refreshing to hear after we did No Place To Run with Paul.”
Then we get to the live cut, and it is a stonker. Recorded at Hammersmith Odeon on 29 January 1981, this is UFO with Paul and Neil in full flow and demonstrates the power the band brought to bring their classic sound.
Three tracks from the new album are followed by a slew of classics.
There are the staples that formed the backbone of their live set for four decades, including the extended versions of Lights Out and Rock Bottom, but it is also great to hear Long Gone, Chains Chains and Lonely Heart kick things off.
There is a slight croak to Phil’s vocals as the set progresses, but it is hardly surprising, given the amount of touring the band had done around this time. So, whilst we have heard many of these songs many times before, I never tire of listening to Shoot Shoot, Cherry or Doctor Doctor, especially when the band is clearly in one of its most cohesive phases.
Live, they were phenomenal, and this live recording once again demonstrates what a fantastic band UFO were. They remain much missed by me and many other fans across the world.
This updated version is a fine record of a time when they were still a hugely potent force in the world of heavy rock.
UFO The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent (2026 Remaster – Deluxe Edition) is released on double CD and 3LP on 1 May 2026 on Chrysalis Records. Order link: https://ufo.lnk.to/TWTWATI.
If you live in the UK and wish to win a CD boxset of The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent, answer the following question in an email to comp@MetalTalk.net:
Neil Carter joined UFO in 1981 from which band?
The draw will take place at 4pm on Friday 10 April 2026.
Every week there is a tidal wave of new music released unto the world. Each Friday we’ll round up some of the best new music available, some we’ve reviewed, some we haven’t, but all worth checking out!
Theres a lot of new heavy music hitting the airwaves this week, everything from black metal, death metal, gothic metal, Stoner rock, doom, thrash metal and even some of your traditional heavy metal!
Here’s what we think you should check out today!
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
American heavy metal icons Corrosion of Conformity unleash double album ‘Good God / Baad Man’ via Nuclear Blast.
“an album that signals the return of one of metal’s much-loved bands.”
The most intriguing band name and album title of the year. Onchocerciasis Esophagogastroduodenoscopy release ‘Fugue Gnawed from the Scabbed God Cerebrum’ via Gore House Productions.
“a crazy, heady mixture of the heavy and the ridiculous, but at least it’s never boring!”
And thats just the tip of the iceberg! Other releases today we think you should check out include…
Rock
E.T.C – Tuyo (L’islet Records) ForeignWolf – Merely Mortal (Independent) Jarboe – Sightings (Consouling Sounds) Masca – love Letters (Cold Hard Bangers) Michael Sweet – The Master Plan (Frontiers Music SRL) The Fuse – In Posterity (Independent)
Heavy Metal
Chariots Overdrive – The End of Antiquity (Gates of Hell Records) Northophere – Full Send [EP] (Independent) Obey The Sun – Desert Ritual (Eclipse Records) Thunderor – Bleed For It (Boonsdale Records) Visions of Terror – The Dark Triad (Arson Theory)
Black Metal
Bloody Valkyria – Requiem: Reveries of the Dying (Northern Silence Productions) Death Dies – Maledicti In Aeternvm (My Kingdom Music) Forlorn Citadel – An Oath Undone (Northern Silence Productions) Kroyer – Towering Iron (Independent) Malauriu – The Third Nail (Adirondack Black Mass)
Death Metal / Death-Doom / Grindcore
Anasarca – Achlys (Selfmadegod Records) Apolaustic – No Plenitude Without Suffering (Transcending Obscurity records) Cenotafio – La Escisión Acausal: Por La Vía Inversa Hacia La Descarnación (Demoniac Productions) Evilean – Exhumation Evilean [EP] (Independent) Exhumation / Funeral Chant – Sacred Path: Temple of Death [SPLIT ALBUM] (Carbonized Records) Graveborn – Metempsychosis (Independent) Relic – Crown of Flies (Independent) SolNegre – Anthems For The Grand Collapse (Meuse Music Records) Splendidula – Absentia (Argonauta Records) Towering – The Oblation of Man (Dolorem Records) Unearthly Rites – Tortural Symphony Of The Flesh (Svart Records) Vanir – Wyrd (Mighty Music)
Palmar De Troya – III (Reptillian Records) Poison Ruin – Hymns from the Hills (Relapse Records)
Thrash Metal
Slaamaskin – Endevendt (Independent) Toxic Shock – Future Is Calling (This Charming Man Records)
… and the rest!
A Place To Buy Strangers – Rare & Deadly (Dedstrange) [Noise Rock/Post-Punk] Chainfight – EP II (Inhuman Assault Productions) [Hardcore] Dust – Thoughts of a Falling Man (Rockshots Records) [Metalcore] No Terror In The Bang – Existence (Klonosphere Records) [Progressive Metal] Orathania – Echo of Freedom (Archivist Records) [Folk Metal] Rats Will Feast – An Evocation (Time To Kill Records) [Post-Hardcore] Void of Light – Asymmetries (Ripcord Records) [Post-Metal]
MarysCreek will release their new album ‘The Beginning Of The End‘ on April 3rd. Ahead of its release the band have shared two singles, ‘The Curse‘ and ‘Damnation‘. Mats Nilsson’s and the band members said this about ‘The Beginning Of The End‘: “These are dark and uncertain times, and that reality has naturally shaped the […]
SHOOTING DAGGERS SHARE NEW SINGLE/VIDEO FOR ‘GLOW’ FEATURING REFUSED’S DENNIS LYXZÉN
NEW MINI-ALBUM ’THE REAL LIFE THING’ RELEASED 5TH JUNE (NEW HEAVY SOUNDS)
Shooting Daggers are a band that never seems to stop. Sal, Bea and Raquel are one of the hardest working outfits out there, constantly playing shows and lending their support to myriad causes all around the U.K. and Europe.
So, it’s always an exciting prospect when the band takes some time out from the maelstrom to write and record new material.
And two years on from the release of their acclaimed debut album ‘Love & Rage’ the band have been in Bear Bites Horse Studio with Wayne Adams (Big Lad, Green Lung) at the controls to come up with the goods once again.
‘The Real Life Thing’ is the latest hardcore sonic missive from one of London’s must-see bands, and it absolutely does not disappoint. Shooting Daggers are the real deal; the best, and most exciting and adventurous hardcore-inspired band in the country.
A ‘mini album‘. 7 songs and 20 minutes of driving rocket fuelled punk meets melody picking up from their debut to go further into their own space.
A selection of songs that are marked by a fierce energy, variety and cool musical nous, but always with a message firmly at its core. The band says …
“It’s a crucial time to focus on what really matters. Be present, be aware of real things happening in the world, with integrity and love we can make a difference as a community. There is hope out there, and if we all start treating nature, people and animals with respect and empathy we will be able to become better humans and coexist.
In this mini album, we express the full range of our emotions through various sounds and genres. From cheerfulness to anger and hopefulness. From hardcore punk, to shoegaze, to post hardcore and riot grrrl.
We embrace our authentic self, with sensitivity in response to injustice, we act out, and all the while savouring every moment, being unapologetically yourself, empowering ourselves and each other”
With the help of some very special guests in the form of ‘The Menstrual Cramps’ and Dennis Lyxzén from Refused, that message is driven home ‘big time’.
New single ‘Glow’ is the second collaboration; this one featuring Dennis Lyxzén from Refused on dual vocal duties. A no brainer it seems …The band comment,
“This track is about denouncing gender roles and respecting gender identity. Self-liberation, embracing femininity and fighting internal misogyny. Feminine isn’t weak, and masculine doesn’t have to be stereotypically strong.
It doesn’t matter if you want to express strength in a more masculine or feminine way, anything is valid as long as you feel powerful from within. When we wrote this song we knew who we wanted to have a feature on it and we were just back from opening two shows for punk legends Refused and all of us were mesmerised by Dennis Lyxzén’s stage presence.
Refused has been a band that never wanted to fit in in a specific sound, they are pioneers of experimental punk while still being rooted in hardcore. They believe in what we believe in, antifascism, veganism, social justice and Dennis on stage is anything but a generic hardcore singer. He jumps, he twirls, he dances, he dresses fancy and we knew from minute one he was the one. Of course, we had no certainty he would’ve said yes but we had to try. He accepted straight away and has been super supportive and collaborative of the coming of GLOW. We couldn’t be more grateful.”
Dennis himself adds,
“We brought Shooting Daggers with us for a couple of shows last year on the final Refused tour. They were great of course. Radical and fun and they just seemed like great people. When they asked me if I wanted to sing on a track for their new album I did not hesitate for one second. It was a complete honor to be a part of this album and I am very much looking forward to seeing what Shooting Daggers does next. ”
The video for ‘Glow’ was filmed in a local gym in Deptford called “Comando Temple” who kindly provided the band with the space. The amazing Pride in Strength group allowed the band to film them during one of their workshops and four wrestlers from the queer wrestling company Fist Club also took time to come over and film some awesome scenes and even taught the band to wrestle. Watch the video for ’GLOW’ now:
Dennis Lyxzén additional footage Filmed by Jakob Arevärn
This album and this band are anything but ‘generic’. They never stand still and continue to push the boundaries of what is ‘hardcore’ or ‘punk’ or whatever people think they are.
T.R.L.T. is a delight and a surprise from start to finish, refreshing, abrasive, melodic and with a true beating heart.
Embrace it.
The Real Life Thing will be released by New Heavy Sounds on limited edition shiny black vinyl and digital on June 5th.
