Here's
something for the Scanda-Metal collector to chew on. A micro-pressing
of a few hundred (500 or less) copies. It's no masterpiece, but if you
ignore the opening and closing tracks (G'N'R-style HR/dreary ballad) you've
got yourself a pretty decent, basic Swedish Metal album, not too different
from the kind of heavier stuff bands like GOTHAM CITY or AXEWITCH did
in the early 80's, mixed up with some METALLICA minus the thrash. My favourite
cut is "On Stage", a Hard Rock Metal epic that METALUCIFER would like
to have written. Overall they make a rather homey, down-to-earth impression,
without coming off as too corny. They followed up this record with a 7"
one year later and a full-lenght CD on Black Mark in '93. There's not
much more to add, since not much history is known about the band. The
Swedish Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Encyclopedia does however tell this
funny anecdote about their debut CD on the Black Mark label: It turnes
out they only got the deal 'coz the label confused their demo with MORGANA
LEFAY's and didn't discover their mistake until after the contract was
signed.
Note that the band themselves deny this ever happened and
the fact that ML got signed
before OVERLOAD hardly gives credit
to the myth. As for this debut, it's no essential item, but like my old
aunt used to say:
"Primitive b/w artwork on Metal albums always rule,
and if the music doesn't suck, go for it!".
I thought I'd add a few words on their 7" since it's really not so
special it deserves it's own slot:
"Second Stroke" was released 1 year later and I would estimate
it's as rare as this MLP, but musically it's unfortunately not as metallic.
A-side "Motorcycle Man" is a decent rocker pretty much in the
heavier (you guessed it) SAXON-vein, while the flipside "Ode Of A
Biker" is more Joe-Shmoe-goes-AC/DC-and-forgot-about-the-groove.
Manic completists should look for a b/w sleave with a similar logo + pic
of the
5 bandmembers on
3 Harlys(!?).
Addition: The band now has their own
webpage
from where you can download both these releases.