 Reviews Archive: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z O
Illusion Dimension (Limb Music) "Neo classic melodic Power Metal...." so the sticker on the cd. Hey, where's the power in their Metal? Can't hear any. A mixture of STRATOVARIUS and NIGHTWISH, only without power and only a very small dose of Metal. Definitely not enough. If you want to check out good bands from Portugal, go for TARANTULA or the upcoming IN SOLITUDE instead of this lame offering. Heinz Konzett Overdrive (picture 7") (Stormbringer Productions) Who will not remember the two albums "Swords And Axes" and "Metal Attack" and the rare EP "Reflexions" made by the Swedish band OVERDRIVE? Well Stormbringer Productions (who also released picture disc singles of Dutch bands like VORTEX and HAMMERHAWK) now release the very first two songs of these Swedish Metalheads. They printed them on a super quality vinyl 7" picture disc. These are two songs that were recorded even before the songs that were on "Reflexions". We hear Kenta Svensson on drums, Pelle Thuresson on vocals, Kjell Jacobsson on guitars, Kenth Eriksson on bass and of course Mr Sweden Heavy Metal himself Janne Stark on guitars. Kjell and Kenta came from OCEAN, while the rest of the band started their career in PARADIZE. The songs that are on this limited, hand numbered release are called "Overdrive" and "20th Century". The melodic Metal of the band is of a very high quality, as we know it from their two full length releases. The song "20th Century" is a bit more Metal. Both songs sound a tiny bit like MOTÖRHEAD through the hoarse voice of Pelle. This band kicks ass and it would be a good investment to buy yourself a copy of this great release. For more information about this very well taken care of 7", you can get in touch with Stormbringer Productions- Linnégatan 24- 38062 Mörbylanga- Sweden or send an email to stormbringer@mbox302.swimpnet.se. If you like to get more information about this Swedish band called OVERDRIVE, then I can direct you to www.algonet.se/~stark. I want to thank Niclas Johansson for making this review possible! Toine van Poorten Lord Of Darkness (self-financed) At last a recommendable, self-financed album received here. These dudes are surely one of the most hopeful new pure Metal bands from Germany these days. Already the speedy opener "Shadow Lord" crushes in with fast-paced Metal and good melody lines. The vocalist Luigi has a strong Eric Adams touch, and a singer, whose skills are comparable with the ones of the MANOWAR shouter, is to praise in times of countless high pitched Kiske or Hansen clones. His angry power astonishes through the whole album ("Leaders Of Madness", "Amen"), not missing the melody factor and being aware that Metal needs balls. Their ICED EARTH influenced, okay produced, thrashy Power Metal sounds rather American orientated, no typical European Metal is delivered. Even if not all nine songs are of the same quality and some parts need to be arranged more compact, here we have a self-financed album that offers spirit and talent in playing real Metal. Labels, sign OVERFIEND and give them the chance to spread their Heavy Metal. You can order th e cd (running time: 50:03 !) for DM 25 (including postage and packing) from Daniela Mertel, Tunnelstr. 1d, 66299 Bildstock, Germany. Heinz Konzett Necroshine (Steamhammer) http://www.wreckingcrew.com Blitz and his Metal friends are back. After struggling for so many years and seeing trends come and go, they are still capable of recording high quality and powerful music, something I really appreciate. The last output "From The Underground And Below" was not their best album (but nevertheless not a bad one). The new one sounds different, quite bulky, it's necessary to listen to the album more than three times, then you will discover its full quality. Not an easy listening album. OVERKILL released real classics as "Taking Over" or "The Years Of Decay" through their career and they varied their sound a bit with each album, but without leaving behind what they stand for - a real Metal band. Hence, new tunes as "My December" or "Stone Cold Jesus" mark typical OVERKILL stuff, sounding Thrashy, though more groove orientated than their older stuff and the production also sounds more direct than on the last releases. Fortunately no ballad shocks my ears this time, all in all a fine but not outstanding album by one of the few surviving Thrash Metal acts in the late 90's. Heinz Konzett Coverkill (Steamhammer / SPV) http://www.wreckingcrew.com Lack of inspiration, the smell of some easy cash-in or just pure trendiness?! I have no idea why the hell New York's Metal veterans OVERKILL recently added themselves to the list of coverbands after so many years of existence. And "Coverkill" is not only pretty superfluous songwise, it's furthermore also an extremely poor produced release! The majority of the 12 chosen tracks (plus "Tequila" as a secret bonus) simply doesn't live up to the original versions and were quite obviously "killed" by OVERKILL, in the true sense of the word! Only MOTÖRHEAD's "Overkill", JUDAS PRIEST's "Tyrant" and the three (!) BLACK SABBATH tracks turned out pretty enjoyable. The rest is poorly executed stuff by the SEX PISTOLS, THE DEAD BOYS, JETHRO TULL, DEEP PURPLE, KISS, MANOWAR and THE RAMONES. So all in all not really an essential item to add to your collection. Frank Stöver Bloodletting (Steamhammer) http://www.wreckingcrew.com 16 OVERKILL albums and still burning. Blitz and DD Verni are constants in the Metal scene. The last albums (the weak "Coverkill", the okay but bulky "Necroshine" and the too modern "From The Underground And Below") weren't the best OVERKILL works. "Bloodletting" is better. Groovy Thrash Metal with the well-known Blitz vocals and after Joe Comeau joined ANNIHILATOR as their new singer and played a gig with LIEGE LORD at the Wacken festival, the new guitarist David Linsk had to replace two guitarists. With SLAYER and TESTAMENT the most captivating Thrash Metal live band, they bring us some pure Thrash briketts with "Thunderhead", "Death Comes Out To Play" or "Let It Burn". No, the quality is by far not the same as on their masterpieces "Horrorscope", "Taking Over" and "Under The Influence" and the partly modern riffing does still not fit to them ("Blown Away"), nevertheless it's still OVERKILL, undoubtedly. Heinz Konzett Overstep CD (Self Financed) Inspired by the German and French Melodic Speed Metal wave, "La Pierre" is nothing else than the fusion of that German-French style. It's a 12 tracks effort including an instrumental track "Overstep", an English written one, "Fighters On The Screen" and the tracks from the MCD, "SDF" and "Ange Ou Demon". The album starts with a cynical poetic text written by a homeless guy, "Le Roi Des Mendiant" immediately followed by "SDF", excellent start. The guitar lines played by Christian and Christophe are not far to remind those from Dolheguy in KILLERS! We reach the highest point with those guitar lines through "Overstep", the instrumental track. As for the title track which ends that brilliant album, it's far to be as good, fortunaly the soloing at the end of the track save it from biting totally. The sensibility and feeling contained in Morgan's singing is just amazing, the lyrics are just beautiful , based on different subjects such as poverty, war in Bosnia, civil war, religion, injustice... "La Pierre" is definitively a jewel in the actual French Heavy Metal scene and it deserves recognition. Contact: Christian Le Tutour, Chapeau Rouge, 56930 Plumeliau, France. Christophe Abraham |