Shy: Brave The Storm (Rock Candy, 1985/2019)

Originally released in 1985, Brave the Storm was the second album from British melodic rockers Shy, and their first album after securing a major label deal with RCA. The band, which featured powerhouse vocalist Tony Mills, was a latecomer to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) scene, and like Tobruk and Heavy Pettin’, they straddled the line between heavy metal and arena rock.

Brave the Storm was Shy’s major label debut, and should have been a real breakout album for the band. Leadoff single “Hold On (To Your Love)” certainly had the right sound for mainstream rock radio in 1985, but it never managed to chart. Honestly, there aren’t many songs on this album that wouldn’t have made good singles. “Keep The Fires Burning” and “Caught In The Act” had that ’80s soundtrack rock sound down perfectly, and the title track remains one of the all-time best Shy songs. The whole album is a textbook example of well-crafted melodic rock with a metal edge. Catchy hooks and abundant keyboards are paired with somewhat dramatic, love-themed lyrics and of course Tony Mills’ stratospheric vocals. It’s just such a pure ‘80s melodic rock album, and one that immediately transports you back to that era.

Their follow-up album Excess All Areas is a fan favorite, but for my money Brave the Storm is Shy’s absolute best album. Everything from the melodies to the hooks to that signature Tony Mills vocal performance make it an essential album for fans of Shy (and even those Tony Mills TNT releases) as well as for fans of ‘80s era melodic rock in general. Fans of the British melodic rock bands (Tobruk, Lionheart, Heavy Pettin’) in particular ought to absolutely love this album, especially now that it has been reissued.

Edition Notes: Zoom Club reissued Brave the Storm in 2001, but being a Zoom Club release it didn’t have the best audio quality. Rock Candy just served up the definitive version of the album, complete with a brand new remastering that does this album justice. It also has six bonus tracks: an extended version of “Hold On (To Your Love),” the b-side “Strangers In Town,” alternate mixes of Once Bitten, Twice Shy songs “Deep Water” and “Give Me A Chance,” and live versions of “Two Hearts” and “Behind Closed Doors” from that album. And of course there’s the booklet, which has a great new essay/interview by Malcolm Dome and all sorts of vintage photos. It’s the kind of reissue that reminds you why Rock Candy is the best they are at what they do.