It was a scene! But it is important to remember it was also a scene defined by
geography. It was the New Wave of
British Heavy Metal.
That an Swedish band like the
EF. band was labeled as a NWOBHM band had to do with the fact that they had become part of the UK scene.
As for the sound of the NWOBHM; yes, Def Leppard, Venom and Iron Maiden don't sound alike. But I would say thats selective sampling. Def Leppart was one of the most, if not
the most, commercial sounding bands in the scene. And citing their second and even third album as a possible example of the NWOBHM sound is just rubbish. By that time they were oriented to the American market and had nothing to do with the UK anymore. Neither sound wise nor fan base.
Venom at the time was the most extreme band in the UK and perhaps the world! Thus although both bands were geographically part of the NWOBHM, they did not have the NWOBHM signature sound.
However, when you compare bands like Weapon, Blitzkrieg, The Handsome Beast, Fist, A II Z, Aragorn, Sledgehammer and Holocaust, then you
will hear a likeness in sound across the board. And 90% of the 79/80/81 NWOBHM bands would have a sound close to this. It was as sound with new energy and more speed, inspired by the 70s punk scene. When you compare the sound of the first, white label, album from Diamond Head with the singles from the bands mentioned above you will hear a definite closeness in sound.
This was also true for Angel Witch who sounded a lot more polished on their debut album. However when you hear their singles, EP and sampler album tracks you will hear a much rawer heavier sound.
The same goes for Hellenbach, on their album they sounded like a Van Halen clone. But their
single "Out To Get You" is in sound closer to Sledgehammer than Van Halen.
So in short I am saying that there indeed was a signature sound in the NWOBHM but it existed for most bands for a short time. In the early beginnings when you hear the first single
or EP of a band you can hear it.
Later some bands moved away from that sound. Another good example is Vardis. Their debut [live!] album "100MPH" is raw and fast. Then later they [or rather singer/guitarist Steve Zodiac] went for a more bluesy sound.
And then there's the DIY mentality these bands had. For instance; In their early beginning Angel Witch used to gig for free and build up a following that way.
So in short I define a NWOBHM band by the following characteristic
1) Part of the UK scene in the 1979/80/81s
2) The DIY mentality
3) A signature sound defined by a lot more energy and speed than people
were used to from a heavy metal band at the time.
For 3) it is important to remember to put things in a historical perspective. If a trOO black metal kid would hear say, the Holocaust album, he would whine that there are no fast songs on the album.
But I remember being blown away by the speed of Weapon's "Set the Stage Alight" single in 1980! The rawness, speed and energy of that song was unheard of in the 70s. Thus for me the NWOBHM took place in a short timespan of barely 3 years. 1979, 1980 and the earlier part of 1981. After 1981 the scene fell apart.
He he. Those were the days man! Going to the UK to get yourself some good singles! When I think of all the gigs I could have seen!
It was the second coming of the UK in the Hard Rock/Heavy Metal scene. After the first explosion with Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Budgie and Led Zeppelin. I am still waiting for the third explosion a sort of NWOBHM part II
I don't think I manifest itself in my lifetime