SPARTA use your weapons well HRR188
Please see Online Shop for current stock availability
Artist = SPARTA
Title = use your weapons well
Label = HIGH ROLLER
Catalog# = HRR188
Barcode = none
Release = GERMANY
Year =
RPM = 33rpm
Disc Size = 12"
Number of Discs = 2
Mono/Stereo = stereo
black vinyl
*Search SPARTA on Online Shop
*Search SPARTA on Blog
* Search SPARTA on YouTube
1 comment
Defending the Faith: Sparta’s ‘Use Your Weapons Well’ (HRR 188)
Today’s entry excavates a comprehensive anthology from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. We are looking at the 2011 compilation Use Your Weapons Well by the Mansfield-based band Sparta, released on High Roller Records with the catalog number HRR 188.
The Complete NWOBHM History
Sparta is best known to collectors for their 1980 single “Fast Lane” / “Tonight” released on Suspect Records, a holy grail item of the NWOBHM scene. This massive compilation gathers that classic single along with a treasure trove of demos and unreleased recordings from the early 80s. The music is quintessential British steel: gritty, working-class heavy metal with rough-edged vocals and catchy, driving riffs.
Key Tracks
The collection opens with the legendary “Fast Lane,” a high-speed rocker that defines the era’s energy. It includes anthems like “Angel Of Death” and “Lords Of Time,” as well as the galloping “Fighting To Be Free.” The sheer volume of material here (spanning four LP sides) proves that Sparta had the songwriting chops to compete with the big names of the genre, even if they didn’t achieve the same commercial success at the time.
Collector’s Details
High Roller Records pulled out all the stops for this release. HRR 188 is a deluxe Double LP set that also includes a Bonus 7-inch EP housed in its own separate picture sleeve. The 7-inch features “Rock Don’t Roll” and “Boy King,” plus alternate takes of their hit single.
This edition was limited to 400 copies. The records are housed in a gatefold cover, and the package comes with an 8-page booklet filled with a biography and rare photos, providing the ultimate historical document for this underappreciated band.