REVIEW: THE BLACK RIDERS – Chosen Few

 

THE BLACK RIDERS – Chosen Few

GI Records

Some records survive because they were successful. Others survive because collectors refuse to let them disappear. Chosen Few by The Black Riders belongs firmly to the second category: an obscure British heavy-metal release with limited documentation, conflicting catalog information, and the unmistakable appeal of an underground discovery.

Little reliable biographical information about The Black Riders has surfaced, but the music gives a clearer impression of the band than the surviving paperwork. Chosen Few presents raw, direct British heavy rock rooted in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, yet shaped by the harder, more street-level sound of the early 1980s.

The album is commonly listed as a 1984 release, although a later full-album upload identifies it as a GI Records release from 1988. It contains nine tracks: “Can’t Stop Us Now,” “Mindless Violence,” “Can’t Hold On,” “Twilight Zone,” “Frankenstein,” “Chosen Few,” “Addiction,” “Time To Run,” and “Money Talks.” The material also reportedly appeared on a 1993 Hot Metal Records split CD with Preyer’s Terminator, although this may represent a later archival or bootleg circulation rather than the original release. Until an original sleeve, label scan, catalog number, or matrix detail is examined, the exact release history remains uncertain.

Such confusion is hardly unusual for obscure independent metal records of the period. Unlike the better-known NWOBHM acts, The Black Riders left behind little verifiable biography, stable lineup information, or contemporary press coverage. They appear to have been one of the many small independent bands that emerged from the era's local scenes, recording and circulating their music without ever reaching the wider audience enjoyed by bands such as Iron Maiden, Saxon, Diamond Head, or Tygers of Pan Tang.

Musically, Chosen Few is best described as raw NWOBHM-influenced hard rock. There is little interest in technical showmanship or elaborate production. Instead, the songs rely on straightforward guitar riffs, driving rhythms, gritty vocals, and memorable choruses. The rough production, typical of an obscure independent recording, gives the album a direct, almost live-room character.

The material is generally mid-tempo and forceful rather than relentlessly fast, placing the band closer to traditional heavy metal and hard rock than to the speed and thrash metal that would soon dominate the underground. The aggression comes through weight, attitude, and subject matter rather than extreme tempos or harsh vocals.

“Can’t Stop Us Now” is a natural introduction to the band's straightforward, chorus-driven approach, while “Mindless Violence” brings a darker and more confrontational edge. “Can’t Hold On” reveals a more melodic hard-rock side, showing that the band was not limited to blunt aggression. “Time To Run” captures their driving character particularly well, combining a firm rhythm section, prominent guitars, and an urgent vocal delivery.

The remaining titles—“Twilight Zone,” “Frankenstein,” “Chosen Few,” “Addiction,” and “Money Talks”—suggest a mixture of dark imagery, social commentary, and rebellious self-definition, reinforcing the distinctly early-'80s underground-metal atmosphere.

Chosen Few is not important because The Black Riders became one of British heavy metal's defining names. They didn't. Its appeal lies elsewhere: this is the sound of a band operating outside the spotlight, using the language of heavy metal and hard rock to create something direct, energetic, and personal.

For collectors, the uncertain release history only adds to the fascination. Any original copy should be checked against label details, catalog numbers, sleeve credits, country of manufacture, and matrix information, particularly when distinguishing it from later archival or bootleg appearances.

Chosen Few is an obscure but rewarding document of British heavy rock. The Black Riders sound like a determined underground band somewhere between NWOBHM, traditional heavy metal, and gritty hard rock. Their songs are direct, their production rough, and their musical vocabulary familiar—but the combination has enough character to make the album more than a historical curiosity.

This is not a lost masterpiece in the conventional sense. It is a cult discovery: imperfect, under-documented, and rooted in the uncompromising spirit of the British metal underground. For listeners interested in obscure NWOBHM, private-press heavy metal, and rough-edged early-'80s hard rock, Chosen Few deserves a place on the listening list.

Nick Parastatidis