Heavy metal band Tailgunner has unveiled their new single 'War In Heaven,' featuring synth contributions from Grammy-winning musician Adam Wakeman, just ahead of their sophomore album release. The track serves as a powerful ballad produced by legendary guitarist K.K. Downing. 'Midnight Blitz' is set to drop on February 6, 2026, via Napalm Records.
Tailgunner, a five-piece heavy metal outfit from the UK, is building momentum with the release of their second album, 'Midnight Blitz,' scheduled for February 6, 2026, through Napalm Records. The band first emerged in 2022 with their debut album, touring over 100 shows and sharing stages with metal legends, which shaped their evolving sound rooted in classic British heavy metal influences like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.
The latest single, 'War In Heaven,' showcases the band's versatility as a power ballad. It features Adam Wakeman, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple, who recently won a Grammy for Best Rock Performance on Black Sabbath's 'Back To The Beginning.' Tailgunner commented: "When the legendary K.K. Downing challenges you to write a ballad, you don’t let him down. Make no mistake, this one hits hard. We went all out and enlisted the help of Adam Wakeman on synths to make ‘War In Heaven’ an all-time classic, just like those iconic 80s ballads from the bands we all love. Walking in the footsteps of giants, no ballad is complete without a blistering, iconic guitar solo, ready for the history books – and ‘War In Heaven’ is no exception."
Produced by K.K. Downing of Judas Priest fame, 'Midnight Blitz' comprises 10 tracks, including 'Midnight Blitz,' 'Tears In Rain,' 'Follow Me In Death,' 'Dead Until Dark,' 'Barren Lands And Seas Of Red,' 'Blood Sacrifice,' 'Night Raids,' 'Eye Of The Storm,' and 'Eulogy.' The band described the album's ethos: "Whilst touring our debut album, we were described by one roadie as ‘The bastard child of Maiden & Priest’ and that became the ethos for our new album Midnight Blitz. Just like our fore bearers, we are determined to push forward, always crafting our sound and building on what we have, whilst never compromising on what we started with – Pure Heavy Metal!"
K.K. Downing praised the band: "TAILGUNNER is a band we should have seen emerge years ago from the UK. They personify everything that is heavy metal. They are loud and proud, and totally descended from everyone in metal that has gone before – their energy and rawness, together with their brand of metal, incorporates all of the godfathers and much more. Maiden, Priest, Motörhead, Def Leppard – the list is endless. The band has a youthful freshness and a uniqueness that will no doubt elevate them to being a true Metal favourite of the fans."
Tailgunner consists of Craig Carns on vocals, Rhea Thompson and Zach Salvini on lead guitars, Bones on bass, and Eddie Mariotti on drums. They have upcoming tour dates supporting Fozzy and Accept, plus festival appearances in 2026.
