Description

Mega rare original English Under One Flag 1993 press

It’s hard to believe, but 1991s Predator in Disguise was only the second full-length album from New Wave of British Heavy Metal veterans Praying Mantis. The band’s first album was released a decade earlier, but soon after most of the band members went their separate ways. However the band maintained a strong fan base in Japan, and when the Troys temporarily reformed Praying Mantis for a NWOBHM nostalgia tour in 1990, they were encouraged by the response to resurrect the band full-time, this time with early Iron Maiden member Dennis Stratton on vocals. Their live work was released as Live At Last before this follow-up studio album was released. Although Pretty Maids were a part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene, they pursued a musical direction more melodic and AOR-sounding than their contemporaries. Predator In Disguise is a bit removed from the Praying Mantis sound on Time Tells No Lies. This offering had a keyboard-laden melodic rock sound. Honestly, I think the new sound works pretty well. There are some really great melodies, the keyboards have that quintessential 80’s AOR sound, and Dennis Stratton’s vocals are surprisingly good. It’s odd to think that a NWOBHM band would revive their career in the 1990’s, when interest in that kind of music was at an all time low, but that’s just what Praying Mantis managed to do, thanks in large part to the undying affection of Japanese audiences. That probably explains why Predator in Disguise only were released in Japan. The rest of the world had to wait two more years before Under One Flag records released the album in the UK in 1993

Track list:
1. Cant See The Angels
2. Shes Hot
3. Cant Wait Forever
4. This Time Girl
5. Time Slipping Away
6. Listen What Your Heart Says
7. Still Want You
8. The Horn
9. Battle Royal
10. Only You
11. Borderline