WARRIOR let battle commence ETHEL2PD

Battle Lines Drawn: Warrior’s ‘Let Battle Commence’ Picture Disc (ETHEL 2PD)

Today’s entry battles its way into the archives of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM). We are looking at the 2012 picture disc reissue of Let Battle Commence by the UK band Warrior, released by Vinyl Tap Records with the catalog number ETHEL 2PD.

Originally released in 1980 as a live-in-the-studio album (often on the Dead In A Ditch label), this recording is a cult classic among NWOBHM collectors. It captures the raw, unpolished spirit of the movement’s early days, featuring a sound that blends heavy metal power with a gritty, down-to-earth attitude.

This specific 2012 edition gives the album a visual upgrade as a full Picture Disc. It was a limited pressing, restricted to just 500 copies, making it a desirable item for genre enthusiasts who missed out on the ultra-rare original pressing.

The album features 8 tracks of gritty, blues-based heavy metal. Highlights include the driving title track Let Battle Commence, the socially charged Ulster, Bloody Ulster, and the band’s anthem Warrior. It is a snapshot of a working-class band pouring their energy into a recording that has stood the test of time as a prime example of the underground British metal sound.

ETHEL 2PD is a visually striking way to own this piece of history, combining the raw audio of 1980 with the collectibility of a modern limited edition picture disc.