As the curtain began to fall on the extravagant 80s, the dawn of the 90s brought an undercurrent of change to the music world. In 1990, the air was thick with anticipation—grunge was still bubbling under the surface, and glam metal was clinging to its throne, not yet ready to relinquish its crown. This was a time when bands like Tigertailz were still riding high on the wave of excess and flamboyance that defined the previous decade. Against this backdrop, Tigertailz released Bezerk, a bold and defiant album that stood as a vibrant testament to the enduring spirit of glam metal, even as the tides of musical taste began to shift.
Hailing from Cardiff, Wales, Tigertailz was often seen as the UK’s answer to the likes of Mötley Crüe and Poison. They embraced the excesses of glam metal with open arms—big hair, outrageous outfits, and a sound that was as colorful as their appearance. However, Tigertailz wasn’t just a carbon copy of their American counterparts. They brought a certain European flair and a sense of humor that set them apart in a genre that often took itself too seriously.
By the time they released Bezerk, the band had already made a name for themselves with their debut album Young and Crazy, but it was with this sophomore effort that they truly hit their stride. Bezerk was an unapologetic celebration of everything that made glam metal so much fun—infectious choruses, slick guitar riffs, and a party-ready attitude that refused to be dampened by the changing musical landscape.
Listening to Bezerk is like stepping into a time machine that takes you back to a world where bigger was always better. The album is packed with anthems that are tailor-made for arena singalongs. Tracks like “Love Bomb Baby” and “Sick Sex” are pure glam metal gold, featuring catchy hooks that stick in your head long after the music has stopped. There’s a sense of over-the-top fun in every note, from the blistering guitar solos to the layered harmonies that beg to be shouted along to.
One of the album’s standout elements is its production—glossy and polished, it perfectly encapsulates the era’s love for bombast. Everything about Bezerk is turned up to 11, from the pounding drums to the sizzling guitar leads. The lyrics, while not exactly profound, capture the escapist spirit that glam metal fans craved. Songs about love, lust, and living life to the fullest dominate the tracklist, making it the perfect soundtrack for a night of excess.
Unfortunately for Tigertailz, Bezerk was released at a time when the glam metal genre was on the decline. Despite its strong reception, the album didn’t catapult the band to the heights of fame they might have achieved had it been released a few years earlier. However, Bezerk has since become a cult classic, beloved by fans who appreciate its unabashed celebration of glam metal’s glory days.
For many, Bezerk represents the last great gasp of glam metal before the grunge wave fully took over. It’s an album that proudly waves the flag of a genre that was all about fun, excess, and escapism—a stark contrast to the more introspective and somber tones that would come to define rock music in the 90s.
In today’s music landscape, where genres are often mixed and matched, and nostalgia for past eras is at an all-time high, Bezerk stands as a reminder of a time when rock music was larger than life. It’s an album that doesn’t apologize for what it is—a neon-soaked celebration of glam metal’s heyday. For fans of the genre, or anyone curious about what made glam metal so infectious, Bezerk is a must-listen. It’s a record that captures the spirit of a time when rock music wasn’t just about the music—it was about making a statement, living in the moment, and having as much fun as humanly possible.
Songs in this Episode
Intro - Call of the Wild
14:46 - Peace Sellz (Megadeth cover)
27:14 - Action City
28:52 - Love Bomb Baby
31:55 - I Can Fight Dirty Too
34:07 - Sick Sex
41:04 - Heaven
43:08 - Love Overload Outro - Twist and Shake
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Tigertailz - Bezerk | 80s Metal Revisited