Throw Back Thursday - Bleak House (UK)

1–2 minutes

The Nwothm

Bleak House are a heavy metal band from St. Albans, Hertfordshire, with origins that go back to 1972. In their early years the group performed under several different names, including Rasputin, Rock Bottom and Ripper, before settling on the name Bleak House in the late 1970s. This period placed them directly within the rise of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, a movement that reshaped the sound of British rock and metal.

The band became known for a style that balanced melody with a sharp and energetic edge. Their most recognised track, Rainbow Warrior, later attracted international attention due to its similarity to Metallica’s Welcome Home (Sanitarium). This unexpected connection helped Bleak House gain a lasting reputation among collectors and fans of the NWOBHM era.

Between 1980 and 1983 the band released two well regarded EPs through Buzzard Records. After these early recordings they stepped away from the scene, although their music continued to circulate through reissues and compilations that kept their name alive.

In 2020 Bleak House announced a return to live performance for the Keep It True Festival. After several postponements the reunion was moved to 2024, with a warm up show at The Water Rats in London. The renewed activity eventually led the band back into the studio. In 2026 they released a new EP titled Tyrant, which marked their first new material in many years and confirmed that the band had entered a new creative chapter.

Today Bleak House remain active and continue to reach new listeners while staying true to the spirit of the NWOBHM movement that shaped their early years.