THIS WEEK I’M LISTENING TO...QUARTZ – Six (Independent)

With roots stretching back to the oddly-named Bandylegs who released their first single ‘Ride Ride’ in 1974 Quartz – the name change came about in 1977 – predated the NWOBHM by some margin but got caught up in its groundswell, much to the Birmingham lads’ advantage. Still under contract to Jet Records, their Tony Iommi-produced, self-titled debut appeared in 1977 (famously re-issued in 1980 as their presence grew in a brown paper bag to cash in on the NWOBHM) and gave them their signature sound. They then bounced around various labels over the years, sticking to their Sabbath-influenced guns and never compromising, and after spending some time in the MIA file reformed in 2011. As a band though they’ve never appeared to rush into things which is why in 2025 – nearly fifty years after their debut appeared in the shops – Quartz are back in business with ‘Six’, their sixth studio release.

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photo by Claudia Rose

Has time diminished them? Not in the slightest. In 2022 when they released their previous album ‘On The Edge Of No Tomorrow’ I pointed out that “Quartz may not be the most prolific band in metaldom, but when they do have something to say it’s always worth sitting up and paying attention,” and that remains valid three years later. And whereas a lot of ‘On The Edge...’ came from demos originally put together by keyboard player and guitarist Geoff Nicholls, who’d passed away in 2017, the bulk of ‘Six’ is the collaborative work of the current line-up, which still features three original members – bassist Derek Arnold, drummer Malc Cope and guitarist Mick Hopkins (original frontman Mike ‘Taffy’ Taylor died in 2016) – aided and abetted by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Geoff Bate. And it’s a cracker, believe me. The opening chugging riff to ‘Insomnia’ – a great choice to kick things off – gives way to a fifty-minute rollercoaster ride of elaborate and beautifully executed metal.

Highlights come thick and fast, but the seemingly relentless onslaught and intricate soloing of ‘Come Hell Or High Water’ and ‘Bad Luck’, a song which wouldn’t have seemed out of place on 1980’s ‘Stand Up And Fight’ are sheer attention-grabbers. Top of the pile for me though is ‘Cerberus’, a song as monstrous as the creature from which it takes its name, even though it’s set in today’s computer age, and overall the material is lively and riff-driven, giving it an air of accessibility without detracting from its depth and heaviness, as the likes of ‘Broken Promises’ and ‘Burn In Hell’ exemplify superbly. And while the spirit of Geoff Nicholls appears though his songs ‘Fires Of Hell’ (which comes over like Tony Martin-era Sabbath) and album closer ‘Knights Of Darkness’ this is by no means a backwards-looking release. ‘Six’ is an album for the here and now, and an offering the band should be exceptionally proud of.