ANGUS is Back! A Review Of Both Reissued Albums

Dutch legendary heavy metal band Angus finally gets both their albums reissued on CD with plenty of bonus material thanks to Sonic Age Records and their subsidiary Cult Metal Classics. Both albums got released in the mid 1980´s on a small label with very limited distribution. Sentinel Steel Records reissued both albums on one CD in 2001, but this is the first time they get issued on individual CDs with plenty of bonus material (including their first 4-track demo from 1983). Many fans of this kind of classic heavy metal never even knew these albums existed (including myself!). They prove to be a great find now that they are available again.

Biography
Angus started in the spring of 1983 when four friends started to rehearse in the attic of an old canal house in Amsterdam, Holland. They played as fast and as loud as they possibly could. The four friends were Ed Sprey on guitar, Ed Lois providing lead vocals, Gerard Carol on bass and finally William Lawson on drums. Sprey described their music as "rugged" like a Scottish bull. That particular type of bull is called Angus which was also the first name of one of his favourite guitar players, Angus Young of AC/DC. It proved to be a perfect name for the new band.

Original Angus line up.
Picture courtesy of Jolly Jokers Ohrenbalsam

The Dutch metal scene in the early 1980´s was dominated by bands that combined speed and melody. The initial Angus sound was based on classical musical structures which was quite different from most other bands of the era. That combination of uptempo metal guitar riffs, classic etudes and fast double bass action made the material unique and stood out from the rest. The band recorded a 4-track demo after just a couple of months as an active band and started to play gigs around the Amsterdam area. In 1984, they launched their first national tour of Holland. The first line-up changes occurred when Sprey was replaced by Bert Foxx, taking over the guitar duties. The first opportunity to commit some of their songs to vinyl came in the summer of  1985 when they recorded two songs for The Heavy Touch compilation ("Lonesome Fighter" and "Aliens"). Together with five other Dutch metal bands on the rise Angus went on tour throughout Holland once again. The compilation album got a lot of positive press and the album sold well.

The compilation album brought Angus to the attention of Boudisque Records subsidiary Megaton Records which signed the band.  The debut album called Track Of Doom was recorded and released in 1986. This album was filled with great classic heavy metal and was produced by the band themselves. The result was really impressive with Lois' mighty vocals and a really tight band that had crafted a bunch of really strong songs. The album was played on national radio stations and on TV channels in Holland. Track Of Doom also made it into the top 20 in the Polish metal charts. Poland was at that time a socialist country behind the Iron Curtain so that was no small achievement. The record sales were promising and the album got a lot of positive reviews from the press. Track Of Doom was released in the US in early 1987 on Restless/Enigma Records which also handled bands like Poison and Stryper.

Cover of 7" single Papa Don´t Freak
Picture courtesy of Jolly Jokers Ohrenbalsam

Before work on the follow-up started the band re-worked the epic Madonna hit "Papa Don´t Preach" into a metal setting  rebuilding, rewriting and renaming it "Papa Don´t Freak" which was released as a single. The cover of the single shows the band members in women´s underwear in front of a peep show shop in Amsterdam´s famous red light district. It was another unusual move by Angus and the result was the media renaming their music as "Sexmetal".

In the summer of 1987 the band entered the studio to record their sophomore effort with British producer John Tilly. Production wise the album was recorded with the latest studio and computer technology of the time. During the recording bass player Gerald Carol had to leave the band due to medical complications so studio bass player Andre Versluys laid down the basslines on Warrior Of The World. The album was released in 1987 and on the live dates that followed Mike Shultz played bass. The album shot Angus into the top league of Dutch heavy metal with its pure classic heavy metal sound coupled with strong melodies. Music Maker Magazine named it heavy metal release of the year in Holland. Warrior Of The World was definitely a huge leap forward for the band who supported the album with another national tour. Unfortunately, the band broke up when the driving force of drummer William Lawson left the band after a disagreement with Megaton/Boudisque Records and their management in 1988.

Reunion

Reunited Angus. Picture courtesy of  Heavy-Metal-Gems.com

In 1999, Denis Gulbey of Sentinel Steel Records contacted William Lawson and they started to search for old Angus material. The master tape for Track Of Doom was found in the vault of CBS Records in Los Angeles. The album was remixed and mastered for a re-release. Lawson re-formed Angus with a completely new line-up in 2011 and the band has started to write songs for an all new Angus album. The current line up includes Nico Perreijn on lead vocals, Pat "the Axe" on guitar, Rene "Basbeer" Bouwer on bass and of course William Lawson on drums.

Track Of Doom 
Time to spin the debut album a couple of times. The album starts off very unconventional with an instrumental track called "The Centaur" which to me is a very strange opening track. I think the album would have benefited greatly by using a track with lyrics as an album opener. It is followed by "When Giants Collide" which starts with a fast guitar riff that transpires into metal groove when bass and drums join. Then a short stick and some double bass drumming as the song kicks off for real. This song features a very strong vocal performance from Ed Lois whose vocals on this song very much remind me of the great Steve Grimmett of Grim Reaper/Lionsheart fame. Lyrically it's a song about the Gods fighting for fun and it sounds like a giant collision. Up next is the title track "Track Of Doom" which starts out with a great guitar riff and a nice and melodic verse. A mid-tempo rocker with a great guitar solo from Bert Foxx making it one of the strongest songs on the album. The song also has a couple of interesting tempo shifts and it's a tune that deals with the threat of a nuclear war. Next is "Heavyweight Warrior" which starts with an ultra fast riff and continues in an up-tempo beat  throughout

Original LP of Track of doom
Picture courtesy of Play it loud forever.

 most of the song. A tune about an undead army waking up at sunrise to steal your soul. Up next is "Finally Out" that starts with an acoustic intro which then fades out and the heavy and fast riffing takes over again with some really fast drumming from Lawson. "Finally Out" has one of the best and catchiest choruses and some of the strongest melodies on this album. A great heavy metal song about love gone wrong. It ends with another acoustic outro. It is followed by "The Gates" which starts off with a Priest-like guitar riff from Foxx that naturally drives the song forward. A memorable and punchy chorus and this great riff makes this song one of the top picks of Track Of Doom. The song is simply about the Heaven's gates being open for you and me to enter. Once there its time to let the rage begin.

The latter half of this remastered CD (including bonus tracks) starts off with another fast paced instrumental song that is somewhat of a filler called "Dragon Chase". A song to skip with the remote. The mighty voice of Ed Lois is back again on "Lost Control" which is also the last song on the original vinyl album which contained only eight songs. It starts out with a strong groove and a couple of really nice guitar harmonies/solos from Foxx. A couple of nice tempo shifts with the odd acoustic guitar adds more value and keeps me interested throughout the whole song. Then the four bonus tracks from the first demo take over with original guitarist Ed Sprey handling the guitar. The first song is "Night Fight" which starts with a slow, almost ballad like, intro which then turns into a fast paced song. The chorus features some falsetto screams from Lois that is not my cup of tea. You can hear this is a band in the early stages of development and the lyrics sometimes do not follow the English grammar. The song is about a killer stalking at night and you have to try to stay alive. The tempo changes again for a slow outro of the song. The CD continues with track no 10 which is "Keep On Shouting"  and it  is a much stronger song than its predecessor. It starts with a nice riff from Sprey and this mid-tempo rocker has a decent chorus and a melodic hook to go with it. A song about dancing, shouting and partying. Up next is "Virgin Girl" which is a nice mid-tempo rocker with a distinct chorus. A drum intro is joined by a heavy grooving, almost Sabbath-like guitar riff. Definitely the strongest song off the first demo and would easily have made the album in my book. The CD ends with "Leading You Back" which is another groovy and heavy song about leading you back to the place where you were born and where you belong. It's easy to lose your way.

Picture courtesy of  Jolly Jokers Ohrenbalsam

Track Of Doom is a little bit speedier than the sophomore effort Warrior Of The World but still within the formula of classic heavy metal though. The band bio presents it as a speed metal record, but I would not label this as speed metal. More of a traditional heavy metal record with a few faster songs. The production is a little bit rough around the edges. The music reminds me quite a lot of The Rods, Picture and at times Manowar. What really strikes me is the very strong vocals from Ed Lois who sometimes sounds like a dead ringer for Steve Grimmett and at times, as fellow Dutchman Shmoulik Avigail (The Rods). The songs are great heavy metal songs and the musicianship is top notch. but lack some of the direct impression a great chorus can have. My top picks from this album would be "Track Of Doom", "Finally Out, and "The Gates". The bonus material from the first demo is a nice addition and an important historical document in the Angus history. The sound quality and the production is of course dated but if you can live with that you will find this to be a great bonus. I reckon many fans of Heavy Metal/Hard Rock had not even heard of this band before (including myself) and most of you will find this a great find if you give it a couple of spins. The original vinyl hardly made it´s way out of their origin country of Holland (Poland being the exception) so now it´s time for the rest of the world to discover Angus thanks to the guys at Sonic Age Records.

Warrior Of The World

Warrior of the world original vinyl press
Picture courtesy of popsike.oom

Angus' follow-up album was recorded with a proper producer (John Tilly) and the latest studio technology and you can clearly hear the sonic evolution as well as improvement in the songwriting department. Warrior Of The World starts out with the title track which is a strong heavy metal song with a catchy riff and a driving melody. Ed Lois' vocals are more polished which I decide is a good thing. What is the song about? This short line in the verse says it all: "We are here to steal your soul with metal rock n roll" - priceless! My head starts banging immediately and involuntarily so I guess that means they stole my soul. "Moving Fast" is up next and this song is literally moving fast. With a riff and hook that is repeated one too many times this is not the strongest song on the album. The lyrics deal with living fast - dying young which is somewhat of a classical theme for a rock song. Song number three on the album is "Leather And Lace" yet another typical cliche lyric of a rock song but with Angus you wouldn´t want it another way, would you? It starts off with another catchy and driving riff from Foxx that carries the song onward. A strong song but somehow lacking that big chorus you are waiting for. Sadomasochism is the theme of this song. "Money Satisfies" starts off with double bass drumming and it is an upbeat metal song with an interesting chorus that stands out a bit from the rest. All this makes it one of the most interesting songs on the album. It's a song about seeking fortune, how money can make you feel good and working really hard to succeed. Then it is time for one of the albums faster songs called "Black Despair" which is an OK fast paced rocker with some nice guitar work from Foxx. A song about lying in your bed trying to sleep when depression takes over. A situation many of us can relate to I guess. Then we have the epic and long "2086" which has got a lot of progressive elements and tempo shifts. It also deals with heavy issues as destroying ourselves in an apocalyptic war with aliens and returning 100 years later (in 2086) to see that life is slowly coming back once more. A song that does not hit you instantly in your face but grows the more you listen to it. A very complicated song texture makes it harder to easily dig into. Definitely something new from Angus but also a song without a memorable chorus line. After that treat, its time for another straight ahead rocker in "Freedom Fighter" with  a great melody pulsating throughout the tune and a cool bassline from Andre Versluys forms a great background. A song about fighting for your freedom and your right to choose the way you live.

Angus bull with logo
Picture courtesy of Metal-archives.com

The second part of the CD starts off with the first and only ballad ever from Angus and it's a really good one; "I´m A Fool With Love". It starts with a beautiful acoustic guitar from Foxx and some nice keyboard harmonies building a delicate background. A great vocal from Lois and a nice guitar solo from Foxx makes this one of the highlights of the album. An attempt to gain some radio play and write that power ballad that turned out really nicely. Then it´s time for the song with the longest title and the very last song on the original vinyl album; "If God´s In Heaven (Why Is There Hell On Earth). This song is carried by another great and melodic riff and a nice vocal from Lois. That question in the title of the song very much sums up what the song is all about lyrically as well. This song has got a really strong chorus. The bonus material starts off with "Lonesome Fighter" from the compilation album The Heavy Touch from 1985. Again Gerard Carol handles the bass on all the bonus tracks as they all were recorded prior the Track of Doom sessions.The sound quality and production is not as good as on the album but it is a great up-tempo song with a really strong chorus that you can easily sing along to when taking a shower. A song about having to fight for your life in the night although you are not a killer or a criminal. You can be attacked anyhow by some shady figure. Definitely a great addition to this CD reissue. The liner notes say this was the strongest song on the compilation and I can certainly understand that. Up next is the second song from Angus on that compilation called "Aliens". It starts off with some fancy stuff from Foxx on the guitar and continues on in a furious tempo. Not as strong as the previous song and a song about having to leave earth that has been invaded by "Aliens" who no longer had air on their home planet. Now we are fleeing from the "Aliens" from star to star. The next song is "Ruthless Men" which is a pre-production demo that in the end did not make the album Warrior Of The World. It seems to me to be an earlier version of "Warrior Of The World"- the melody for the chorus is the same just the lyrics are different. Up next is an unrecorded and unreleased song called "Men of Hades" and the below par and bad sound quality becomes almost unbearable. I guess it was included for historical purposes. It´s a song with another apocalyptic message which the band seemed to be heavily into at the time. The CD then rounds off with the cult single and remake of Madonna's super hit "Papa Don't Preach". In the Angus world, the chorus has been re-written to "Papa Don´t Freak". This single's cover art also sported the band in women's underwear and they were labeled as "Sex-metal" by the media.  Hilarious! It starts out with the band singing acapella and they have really given it the Angus treatment with a heavy guitar riff and thumping bass. A great addition and bonus material! My top picks from the album would be "Warrior Of The World", "Money Satisfies", "I´m A Fool With Love" and "If God´s In Heaven (Why Is There Hell On Earth)".

Summary

Both these albums contain great and surprisingly fresh traditional heavy metal the way it sounded in the 1980´s. I must give a great thumbs up to Sonic Age Records/Cult Metal Classics for a great packaging with 16 page full-colour booklet containing all the info you would need. You have got a band biography, all the lyrics reprinted and who plays what on every song in detail. The bonus material gathered for these re-releases are just fantastic and for the first time available to the masses. These releases must be the ultimate Angus re-releases making all prior ones obsolete. I have never been a fan of putting together two albums on 1 CD and the previous CD issue did not contain any bonus material. So even if you bought the Sentinel Steel reissue you will find plenty of reasons to buy this re-release.

When it comes to the music both the production and songwriting are better and more mature on Warrior Of The World compared to Track Of Doom. It, on the other hand, has got a nice rawness to it. My guess is that you never heard of Angus before either. In that case - do yourself a favour and pick up a copy right now. This reissue is limited and will not be available for a long time. Both these albums prove that Holland could produce great heavy metal and it was not only limited to Picture. I would give Track Of Doom a 7/10 rating and Warrior Of The World a 7,5/10 rating. Time to take the bull by the horn and spin it one more time!

The Lionsheart

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High Voltage In Sweden - 220 Volt live in Borlänge

220 Volt Live in Borlänge, Sweden. Photo by Mikael Svensson

It´s been 27 years! 27 years since I last attended a 220 Volt concert, then as part of a Swedish ”Monsters of Rock” package featuring the cream of Swedish hard rock and featuring the main contenders for the crown that Europe wore. The package included Treat, Electric Boys and of course 220 Volt, the band from the Northern county of Jämtland and its "capital" Östersund. I was 15 years old and this touring package came to my tiny hometown of Hofors in the summer of 1988. I was completely blown away by both Treat and 220 Volt that hot summer night and left with memories that will never fade, the biggest impression being made by 220 Volt. I was hooked! The sheer energy when they hit the stage to ”Firefall” blended with that unique feeling for writing a big hook! Guitarists Peter Olander and Mats Karlsson traded solos like I had never heard before and on top of that – the great and very personal voice of Joakim Lundholm.

Mats Karlsson (lead guitar)
Anders Engberg (lead vocals)
Photo by Mikael Svensson

Back to 2015, March 27th to be exact. Eagerly I enter my car to drive the 70 kilometers from my home to Borlänge, a mid-sized Swedish town of about 50,000 inhabitants situated in the middle of Sweden. It is here that 220 Volt has decided to start their support of their brilliant new album Walking in Starlight (reviewed here: Electric Messengers Want Us To Walk In Starlight). It´s a different band I will be seeing tonight. Joakim Lundholm is long gone and the vocals are now handled by Anders Engberg (Sorcerer, ex-Lion´s Share) who I have previously seen when Lion´s Share opened up for Saxon on their Unleash The Beast tour in 1997. A great frontman indeed to pick up where Lundholm left off to join Kraftztoff. God knows who will be handling the bass duties tonight, filling in for Mike Larsson who is no longer with the band. My guesses are either of the session musicians on Walking in Starlight, Johan Niemann (Evergrey) or Lars Ericson. I guess Johan would be busy with Evergrey so Lars Ericson then? All my guesses will turn out to be wrong but more on that later. Olander has also been replaced by the returning Thomas Drevin (guitarist on the first two albums). My expectations are high and as they should be when you go and see a band of this quality.

I arrived a little after 10pm. It was announced that the first band would go on stage at 10pm, but that was not the case. It takes a long while before the first band, Thalamus, enter the stage so I spend some time at the merch stand when I see 220 Volt guitarist Mats Karlsson sorting out the T-shirts together with his wife. I stroll over to the merch area to talk to him. He promises a set of 60% old material and 40% new. They have been told three different times for their setlist so he does not know for how long they can play. He promises to try and play 10 songs at least. I only speak briefly to him and he signs my CD´s but I leave quite quickly not to disturb him in his work. Drummer Peter ”Hermie” Hermansson also appears at the merchandise stand but not long enough for me to catch him to sign my records. By then I had found a very comfortable couch to sit on. Too bad I don´t approach him because he is the only one to not show up after the show either. Thalamus entered the stage – a band I never have heard of before. They play a doomy kind of hard rock (think first two Black Sabbath albums). They sound good and have a lead vocalist/guitarist with an impressive voice although the early part of their set is hampered by technical issues. Some of the songs are too slow and bluesy for my taste, but they play a couple of great sounding tunes as well. Thalamus play a pretty short set (40 minutes?) and then it is time for me to leave the comfortable sofa I found in the back of the pub/dancefloor turned concert hall. Hermansson appears behind the drumkit and Karlsson/Engberg set up the mike stands as I enter the ”dancefloor” and move towards the stage. Now it's not far away!

Thomas Drevin (lead guitar)
Photo by Mikael Svensson

220 Volt hits the stage and starts out with ”System Overload” from the new album. The band seems a little uncomfortable at the start but soon find their way in ”The Harder They Come” from their ”big” Max Norman produced Eye to Eye album (1988). ”It´s back to the 80´s” as Engberg says and they plow through ”I´m On Fire” which is another gem from Eye to Eye. Anders Engberg introduces the band and on bass we have newcomer Fredrik Hallberg who also provides backing vocals. The people in the front seem to be as excited as I am by now and knowing every word of the songs from Eye to Eye I find myself singing along to the entire songs. Engberg seems a bit uneasy at times having to glance at the monitor to find the right lyric, but this is also the first gig in a long time. After the start with songs from Eye to Eye and Walking in Starlight the band announces that they are going to take us on a journey from the start (well nearly) to today and the new record. They start off with ”Woman in White”, the album closer from the very first self-titled album released in 1983, which also has Mats Karlsson singing the part of the verses. The song sounded great and very true to the original, but is sort of an odd pick in my book. It is followed by another old gem called ”Lonely Nights” - opener from the very same debut album. It is then time for my favourite performance of the evening. The intro to ”Walking in Starlight” starts with a distinct noise from Drevin's guitar. The band then jumps into the song and it gives me chills through my spine. This rocks like hell! An epic and melodic song of the highest standard possible. When it's finished Engberg talks a bit about the band existing for a long time – long before he joined and introduces the ”biggest song 220 Volt have written”. It´s time for the ballad of the evening and ”Love Is All You Need” which is of course, the big single off Eye to Eye that gained heavy rotation on MTV in the late 1980´s. On this song, I think the band hesitates a little and they seem a bit uneasy including lead vocalist Engberg. Still he invites the crowd to sing along to the chorus line and we all do what we can. The concert then ends with the band back on top and in an ecstatic way when they close with regular concert opener ”Firefall” The band is virtually on fire and it only leaves me wanting some more. I want ”Beat Of A Heart” and ”Power Games” but there is no time left and the Wolf is waiting in the wings.

Engberg is rockin it out at Liljan, Borlänge
Hallberg is providing some bass grooves and backing vocals.
Photo by Mikael Svensson

I move back to my sofa in the back sorting out my thoughts when Anders Engberg grabs a beer and places himself in front of me. Time for a chat with him and some signatures on the CDs! I tell him about my experience with Lion´s Share and he signs my CD with them saying ”This was not yesterday”. Anders seems like a nice guy and he tells me they are not actually doing a tour because they all have got 9-5 jobs now and can only do this on weekends. They will play Uppsala tomorrow with Wolf again and then play the odd weekend gig before the festival seasons starts. Then they will play the Peace and Love festival here in Sweden and will return to my area in September for a gig in Gävle. I tell him I will be there and congratulate him on a great gig. Anders is not satisfied and says it could have been better. I leave him to his beer and now Wolf is on stage. They belt out their traditional heavy metal and they sound good. I find it a bit hard to digest the rough vocals that are not my cup of tea, but they have some loyal fans in the front singing along to their songs. I decide to buy a T-shirt so I go to the merchandise stand again. After watching Wolf for a while Thomas Drevin appears and I need him to sign my CD. We exchange a few words before I start talking to Mats Karlsson more in depth this time.

Mats tells me of the troubles of getting their old classic albums out to the public again on CD. The band has been trying to buy back the rights but to no avail. Nobody is still with Sony/CBS Records Sweden from back when they were released and 220 Volt was on the label. As Mats puts it – they don´t know what they got and the archives are a bit of a mess. According to Mats they are not willing to license the albums to another record company either. That´s a pity because the younger fans will have a harder time (or not at all) to discover the treasure trove that is the back catalog of 220 Volt. When he asked the company what they are going to do with the recordings they told him they will digitize it. The albums are now finally available on I-tunes and other digital media. When I asked Mats about a possible physical release his response was ”It will not happen!”.

The band with "Hermie" Hermansson behind the drumkit
Photo by Mikael Svensson

Mats also revealed that there are unreleased songs that could be used as bonus tracks on possible future re-releases, but the band has some degree of control over it. Sony cannot issue them without the band's approval. Mats also said he was not sure of the quality of the songs, but that opinion could change from person to person. I think you are right Mats! I´ve bought records where one of the bonus tracks was the best song on the entire album. It´s a matter of taste I guess. If you read my review on the new Dalton disc called Pitstop for Decibel Geek (Dalton - Pitstop Review) you have this being the case. Mats also said he was not 100% happy with the gig (just like Anders Engberg) and told me this was the first gig since they reformed two years ago. They need some time and gigs to become tighter. I told him it sounded good from my point of view. Mats told me they would play a longer set tomorrow in Uppsala when only Wolf and them played. I told him I missed ”Beat Of a Heart” and he told me they would play that and ”Power Games” tomorrow. The people going to Katalin, Uppsala Sweden are in for a treat. Maybe it was also a bit surprising that the Mind Over Muscle album was left untouched. 

Just before we went separate ways Mats told me they are back for good and will continue this time. That was great news to me and I went back to watching Wolf again. I especially want to thank Mats Karlsson for a really nice chat (hard to hear everything with Wolf blasting through the speakers). I would love to do a further in-depth interview on the band sometime in the future.

Summary

The concert hall was not even half full during the whole evening and I think Borlänge was unaware of what great bands were playing in their town this night. Wolf is a well respected heavy metal band, 220 Volt has near a legendary status in Sweden and Thalamus turns out to be a decent band as well. Time to wake up Borlänge and realize what you missed out on! I was only briefly familiar with Wolf and had never heard Thalamus before so I will not grade their performances.

I think 220 Volt met my expectation although you could see this was the first gig where the band at certain points hesitated a bit. This will get better with more gigs under their belt. Being a fan of the new album I think the set was well balanced between new and old songs – maybe a couple of old songs got deleted due to short gig time this evening. I´ve already mentioned two of the songs. The biggest let down was the low crowd turnout – this being payday and everything. Maybe too many people being comfortable at home watching TV? I would rate the 220 Volt gig to 8 out of 10 geeks. Curfew is closing in when Wolf announce they have two songs left so I decided to leave with the clock approaching 2 a.m. I left Borlänge with a great feeling, a T-shirt and signatures from everybody performing on the album except ”Hermie” Hermansson and I will be back in September for sure when they play in Gävle.

The Lionsheart. (email: thelionsheart@decibelgeek.com)

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The Tygers Revisit Their past

Classic New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) band Tygers of Pan Tang hits back with a new disc containing re-recorded songs from their first two legendary albums Wild Cat (1980) and Spellbound (1981). These songs have only been released on two different discs as a fan club specials in 2010 and 2011. Thanks to Polish label Skol Records we all can enjoy these re-recorded songs on the new disc entitled Tygers Sessions: The First Wave.

Tygers of Pan Tang formed way back in 1978 in Whitley Bay, northern England by only remaining member and guitarist Rob Weir, bass man Richard "Rocky" Laws, lead vocalist Jess Cox and drummer Brian Dick. The band took their name from the evil sorcerers portrayed in Hawkwind collaborator Michael Moocock´s Elric novels. Working their way up through the local club circuit they were soon contracted by local label Neat Records and the first single "Don´t Touch Me There" was released in 1979. That single attracted the interest of major label MCA Records and the now legendary debut album Wild Cat was recorded and released in 1980. The album reached no 18 on the British album chart within the first week of its release.

Tygers of Pan Tang with John Sykes
Picture courtesy of  Heavy harmonies.com

Things were not all well and good in the Tygers camp despite the big success of the debut album. Soon after the album's release the band recruited legendary guitar slinger John Sykes (later Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Blue Murder) from the band Gunslinger. Lead vocalist Jess Cox had a big falling out with the other members and quit, being replaced by the former Persian Risk man John Deverill. With this line-up, they released the excellent albums Spellbound and Crazy Nights in 1981. John Sykes quit the band after Crazy Nights to audition for Ozzy Osbourne but when he did not get the spot he joined Thin Lizzy instead. Sykes instead. Sykes was
quickly replaced by Fred Purser (ex-Penetration) who had just two days to learn the songs before the tour started. With Purser, they released The Cage in 1982. All four albums are today considered to be classic albums and all played a major part in the metal wave sweeping through the UK in the early 1980´s together with bands like Saxon, Iron Maiden and Diamond Head to name just a few. The Tygers had seen a hit with the cover song "Love Potion No. 9" which inspired MCA Records to demand them to play more cover songs. They of course refused being an original songs band and MCA responded by refusing to promote The Cage. When MCA also refused to release them of their recording contract the band broke up in frustration in 1983.

Back From The Dead: The First Time:
In 1985 lead vocalist John Deverill and drummer Brian Dick reformed the Tygers of Pan Tang and joining them were new guitarists Steve Lamb (ex-Sergeant)  and Neil Sheppard (ex-Warrior, ex-Satan) along with bass player Clin Irvin. Dave Donaldson soon replaced Clin Irvin taking over the bass guitar duties. Original vocalist Jess Cox and original guitarist Rob Weir formed the spin-off band Tyger Tyger instead. With this line-up, the Tygers of Pan Tang recorded the albums The Wreck-age (1985) and Burning In The Shade (1987). The style had now changed to a more commercial, melodic and radio friendly version of hard rock. Unfortunately that move did not work, alienating old fans and not gaining enough new ones. The band broke up again in 1987.

Back From The Dead: Part Two:
Things started to happen that created hopes of a reunion when Jess Cox joined fellow NWOBHM band Blitzkrieg on stage at Wacken Open Air in 1998 playing three old Tyger classics. The huge response from the crowd convinced Cox that it was time to try to put the band back together again. The band was invited by the Wacken organizers to play the main stage at the 10th anniversary of Wacken in 1999 and at the same time celebrating 20 years of Tygers of Pan Tang. Original guitarist Rob Weir was up for it but unfortunately Brian Dick and "Rocky" Laws were unable to join the band. Weir and Cox were joined on stage by Blitzkrieg guitarist Glen S Howes, bass player Gavin Gray and drummer Chris Percy.

Despite the success of the Wacken gig which resulted in the live disc, Live At Wacken, Jess Cox did not continue with the band and in 2000 Rob Weir reformed the Tygers again. It was an all new line up including new lead vocalist Tony Liddell, guitarist Dean Robertson, Brian West on bass and behind the drumkit was Craig Ellis. A comeback album was recorded and released in 2001 as Mystical on the British Z-Rock label. The album meant a return to the old and classic Tygers sound of the first four albums.  A couple of years on Liddell left the band and was replaced by Angel Witch bass player Richie Wicks and Noises From The Cathouse was released in 2003. It continued on in the trodden path with a little modern touch around the edges. A little later that year it was time yet again to change frontmen and in came Italian vocalist extraordinaire Jacopo Meille.  He provided some much needed consistency in the frontman department and is still today the band's lead vocalist. This new line up recorded the excellent Animal Instinct, released in 2008. The Tygers then went on to re-record and release songs from the first two albums as limited fan club editions (which are here assembled for the first time on one CD as Tyger Sessions: The First Wave).

Before recording their latest disc with all new material entitled Ambush (2012) Gavin Gray returned to the band replacing Brian West. In 2013, long time guitarist Dean Robertson left the band and was replaced by Mickey Crystal. A deal was signed with Skol Records to re-release the fan club editions on an official CD.

Tyger Sessions: The First Wave
First I must admit I am not a big fan of bands re-recording their old songs - it simply cannot be the same feeling. Mostly its a suicide even attempting to alter the recordings of the songs we all grew up with and learned to love. I did not discover the Tygers back in the day which may influence the way I look upon this new CD with re-recorded material. Saxon has done it with a limited success and I am not a fan of the re-recorded material by them.  So why do we even need this disc?

Well, first of all the Tygers of Pan Tang (although a classic band) were not as big as fellow collegues in Saxon and the old records are very hard to come by these days. A lot of fans do not have the emotional attachements to the old recordings. So, reluctantly, I have to admit that these new recordings really rock! The production and sound quality is far better and Meille is a much better vocalist with a greater range than Cox in my book. The re-recorded songs stay true to the original structure for most part and provide a new freshness to the overall impression. The band perfectly balances the attitude of punk rock and the energy and melody of punchy hard rock. The songs are almost as immediate as a pop song but still heavy of course.

Track By Track Commentary:
The first five songs on this disc are re-recordings of songs from the debut album Wild Cat (1980) and the last six songs are off Spellbound (1981). The CD starts off with classic rocker  "Youthanasia" which is a straight ahead rock song in the old school. A nice simple riff with a cool chorus and written in the band's humble beginnings in 1978. A great way to start the album and one of the strongest songs on this disc. Lyrically it's about terminating life before it´s over. It is followed by what must be one of the longest songs in the Tygers history, clocking in at just over six minutes. "Slave To Freedom" starts off with a nice guitar harmony from Robertson/Weir. It has kind of a boogie feeling to it with some nice tempo changes in the midsection and according to Weir it was inspired by Rush. The lyrics deal with the problem of trying to preserve or "save" democracy by using bombs and weapons driven by greed. Third spot is occupied by the big single from Wild Cat called "Suzie Smiled". In my opinion not the strongest song on the album and an odd choice for a single. Still its a song with a cool bassline and lyrically it's about Suzie dreaming of the big city and riding fast cars. Up next is the blues infused "Don´t Touch Me There" which was the band's first single, released on Neat Records and re-recorded for the Wild Cat album. It´s got a nice driving groove and big chorus. It also has Meille moaning "Don´t Touch Me There" over and over again - priceless! The song also has some talkbox effects from Weir and a 70´s feel all over it. Ending the Wild Cat section of the CD is the title track from that album, a fast paced rocker dealing with fast motorbikes and loose women. The lyrics "Wine and women, who needs much more? Motorbiking free" really says it all. A really nice solo from Weir on this song.

Current line up of Tygers of Pan Tang
Picture courtesy of bands homepage

The Spellbound section of the album starts off with "Gangland" (later covered by German thrash band Kreator) written by John Sykes and Rob Weir. It's a fast rocker that entices you to loosen those neck muscles and do some serious headbangin´. A song about the tough streetlife as a young kid in those "Ganglands". Then we are treated to "Take It" which is a great rocker and the lyrics seem to be about a woman taking all the money and a man's obsession with her. Then we turn up the speed a couple of knots for "Hellbound" which again is a really fast paced rocker with a strong chorus that easily sticks in your head. I am not surprised this song was originally a single off the Spellbound album. It has potential commercially. The lyrics seem to be about an air fight where I get shot down in the end. Finally, it´s time for the album's first and only ballad called "Mirror".  It´s massive and one of my definitive favourites on this album. Meille really shines on this one with some fantastic vocals. Up next is "Tyger Bay" written by Weir and John Deverill. "Tyger Bay" incidentally was a dangerous place near Deverill's hometown of Cardiff, Wales where all the villains hung out. It starts off with a great, driving riff and a cool bass line in the background. I sense some blues in this song as well. A great rocker. The album ends with "Don´t Stop By" which is a melodic rock song with a huge hook. It´s got a nice guitar intro and nice harmonies throughout the song. One of my faves on this disc. A strong way to round off a great album. My favourite picks off the album would be "Youthanasia", "Hellbound", "Mirror" and "Don´t Stop By".

Summary:

Picture courtesy of  the bands facebook page.

Not being a fan of bands re-recording their old material I am pleasantly surprised by this album. Where the original recordings lacked production and power this disc adds that to these classic songs. You can still hear these are late 70´s or early 80´s compositions and the band never strays to far off from the original song. For fans that do not own the old albums and are not familiar with the band, this would be a great way to be introduced to the world of Tygers of Pan Tang. As I mentioned before Meille is a great vocalist and has got a much wider range than Cox. John Deverill might still be my favourite Tygers vocalist, but I think Meille really proves himself on these old songs.

This is a surprisingly strong disc with a revitalized band. I would give the Tyger Sessions 7,5 Geeks out of 10 possible. I am really looking forward to catching the band at Väsby Rock Festival this summer. I hope the band will bring on the second wave with songs from Crazy Nights and The Cage soon. Pick up this disc and rock like it´s the 1980´s all over again!

The Lionsheart

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Fighting The System With a JADED HEART

German melodic hard rock outfit Jaded Heart has been around for 25 years and during that time transformed from a pure AOR/MHR combo to a melodic metal band and has in the process gone through numerous member changes. Remaining from the original line up is only bass player Michael Müller. Today Jaded Heart is a German/Swedish joint venture but let´s first take the time machine to around 1990 and the Berlin Wall had just fallen. Jaded Heart was founded in Duisburg, Germany by brothers Michael Bormann (Redrum, ex-Bonfire, ex-Letter X, Zeno, Silent Force among others) and Dirk Bormann. Both of them had previously played together in high school band High Voltage which evolved into T.A.X. and then evolved into the seed for Jaded Heart. The year after the brothers were joined by Michael Müller on bass (ex-The Sygnet) and ex-Mad Max drummer Axel Kruse. Michael had also made a name for himself on German TV with a cover of Bon Jovi's "Dead or Alive" (Watch it on youtube!).

Jaded Heart started out gigging, writing songs and searching for that elusive record contract. Michael Bormann left the band in 1993 to join Bonfire and even recorded an album with them that to this day remain unreleased but is heavily bootlegged. That did not last long though and in 1994 Bormann was back in Jaded Heart.  Now everything happened quickly and the debut album Inside Out was recorded and released in 1994. After that release, Chris Ivo joined the band on keyboards but Dirk Bormann left the band. Jaded Heart struggled on using guest guitarists (including Dirk) until they found Boris Kepic before recording IV in 1999. Michael Bormann later founded Charade with Bonfire guitarist Angel Schleifer and together they have released two albums with that band. Jaded Heart decided to strike it while it´s hot

The Michael Bormann fronted version of the band
Picture courtesy of heavyharmonies.com

and the second album Slaves and Masters saw the light in 1996 on which Alex Beyrodt (Sinner, Level 10) provided guitar along with Dirk Bormann. Both these albums received rave reviews and contained top class melodic hard rock in the vein of Bon Jovi and 80´s Europe with a strong commercial appeal. Unfortunately, the music climate at the time (both in Europe and North America) was not forgiving for this kind of melodic hard rock therefore hampering album sales. The musicianship was top notch, the songs as strong as ever with a modern production but it did not promote the band to stardom, unfortunately.

Jaded Heart struggled on and released the absolutely stunning albums Mystery Eyes (1997) and IV in 1999. In my opinion IV is still the strongest effort in the extensive back catalogue. I might be biased for this was also the album that made me discover the band in the first place.  In Europe, the music industry was finally showing a growing interest in traditional melodic hard rock and heavy metal once again with HammerFall paving the way for a whole new scene developing in the late 1990´s. The band lost a bit of pace with the average The Journey Will Never End in 2002 which contained a cover of "Larger Than Life" by the Backstreet Boys. Chis Ivo was replaced by Henning Wanner on keyboards before that album was recorded.  They hit back with the great Trust in 2004 before it was time for major changes in the Jaded Heart camp. Founding member and frontman Michael Bormann was subsequently fired by the band and in came Swedish lead vocalist Johan Fahlberg (ex-Scudiero, Denied, Radioactive). A new album with Fahlberg was issued in 2005 entitled Helluva Time.

With the change of frontman Jaded Heart also slowly became heavier and before releasing 2007's Sinister Mind Boris Kepic left the band and was replaced by Swedish guitarist Peter Östros further pushing the band in a heavier direction towards a sound similar to Pretty Maids. Still sticking to the hooks and melodies both these albums were an example of excellent European melodic metal. Johan Fahlberg has a different but great voice which kept the band on a high note despite the loss of the great Michael Bormann. With the excellent albums Perfect Insanity (2009) and Common Destiny (2012), Jaded Heart maintained their position as one of Europe's leading melodic hard rock bands. After releasing a DVD in 2013 where a show was filmed on their support slot for Axel Rudi Pell it´s now time for new full-length album Fight The System.

Fight The System:
The first thing we can note is that there has once again been major changes in the line-up of the band. Founding member and drummer Axel Kruse has left the band to concentrate on the reunited Mad Max and has been replaced by Bodo Sticker (Callejon) and they have added another guitarist in Japanese guitar slinger Masa Ito thus making Jaded Heart for the first time a twin guitar band. The split with Bormann created a lot of animosity shown in extensively aired interviews and things are not at ease with former members yet but I have always been a fan of both versions of Jaded Heart. For me, there is no reason to dislike the early version of the band nor the later. Fighting The System is a blast of pure melodic metal with some really strong songs on it albeit not the strongest in the discography. For fans of hard rock and metal, there is no doubt this album should be very high on the list of albums to check out. If you are not a current fan there is plenty to discover on this disc. You get top notch musicianship, very melodic but still heavy songs with memorable hooks and great riffs and nice solos from Östros/Ito. It's evident that the first part of the album clearly supersedes the latter part and you will find the strongest songs on the first half.

Track by track comments:

Jaded Heart 2014. Picture courtesy of Jaded-heart.com.

The album opens with the melodic and heavy rocker "Schizophrenic" which has an annoying tendency to stick in your head and it´s hard to get it out. I guess that´s a good thing! It starts with a nice riff and some great "flowing" keyboards from guest musician Henrik Larsson. The vocal style of Fahlberg on this particular song in parts remind me of Geoff Tate of Queensryche. The títle of the song very much tells what the lyrics are about. It is followed by another great rocker in "Control" which sees Rick Altzi (Masterplan, At Vance) providing guest vocals. After a short intro, the song kicks off with nice double guitar harmonies from Ito/Östros. A melodic bridge leads into a nice chorus with Altzi/Fahlberg trading vocal lines. A song about being controlled by someone else and a very strong start to the album. Up next is my favourite song on this new album called "Not In A Million Years" which is a midtempo rocker with a huge infectious hook and a chorus line I simply can´t get out of my head after listening to the album. The song kicks off with a nice keyboard fill and an interesting riff with the verse sung in a gritty tone and some heavy riffing in the background. A song of total love and devotion to that special individual you might sometimes find. Up next is "Losing My Faith" another midtempo rocker which starts off with an aggressive vocal from Fahlberg leading on to a more melodic bridge and a nice, melodic chorus with some nice choirs supporting Fahlberg's voice. A very serious lyrical theme in this song which is about losing your faith in humanity when all it does is wage war upon each other.

Fight The System continues with the uptempo rocker "Nightmare´s Over" which is the fastest song so far and it has a nice melody line and again an interesting chorus. The lyrics deal with near death experience and about seeing an angel that fades away when you are being brought back to life. "Never Free" starts with an acoustic guitar, almost ballad-like opening, which is quickly followed by a nice grooving riff and a cool bassline from Müller. The mellow verse erupts in a melodic bridge and chorus. A nice effort! The lyrics deal with the situation of trying to run from your past and memories which you, of course, cannot do. This means you are never free. It is followed by "´Til Death Do Us Part" which is an ordinary feel good melodic rocker and maybe the weakest track so far. The lyrics deal with the obsession that love can create sometimes and a twisted mind that will not let go. It is followed by "Terror In Me" which is a heavier song with some aggressive riffing from Ito/Östros but due to a weaker chorus not the strongest song on the album in my opinion. The song title reveal what this song is about and when you get to the point where you don´t care if you live or die anymore.  Up next is "Haunted" which starts off with a great guitar riff but lacks the melodic power of most of the previous songs. Again the song is about suffering from your memories that keep haunting you.  It is followed by "Crying" which sees some double bass drumming from Stricker and now we are back with a more contagious melody line in the bridge where Fahlberg really shines. The lyrics see the world through the eyes of an avenger and your goal is to make them pay. The final song on the regular edition is "In The Shadows" which is again a midtempo melodic rock song with Fahlberg providing the "odd" vocal on the chorus line. A nice outro with the choir singing "oh-oh-oh". The lyrics are all about being in pain and time is running out for a cure.

Bassplayer Michael Müller
Picture courtesy of the bands facebook page

If you have bought the limited digipak edition you will get two more songs. First there is the cover song from German band Extrarbeit called "Polizisten" (Cops) and the first song done by Jaded Heart in the German language. It´s an interesting piece of work but just not my cup of tea. Closer "Flee And Run" is a good melodic midtempo rocker and better than some of the songs on the regular album. It starts off with a riff with some nice keyboard harmonies in the background which continues throughout the song. A nice chorus with ganglike vocals throughout the bridge leading up to the chorus. If you can get a hold of the digipak it adds a quite substantial value.

Summary:
So what does this say about the whole album and compared to previous releases? You know what you get when you buy a Jaded Heart album (that meant in a good way). The band never strays too far off the traditional formula (even if "Polizisten" is far off) and you always get strong songs that are easily digestible. On this album, the band has come up with 5-6 really strong songs that would fit very well into a live setting. I think the latter part of the album loses a bit in song quality (from a very high level that is). The lyrics often deal with difficult situations whether it´s love gone bad or something else. It also paints a very grey picture on the state of the world today and the future for mankind. Fahlberg's voice fit the framework perfectly and the musicianship is top notch as always. The band has lost some very important band members on their journey and always come up with one strong album after another. The consistency and quality are impeccable.

I´m really looking forward to catching the band at Väsby Rock Festival this summer for the first time for me in a live situation. Given the problems and tensions between current and previous members and today's lineup's negative approach to old material I doubt there will be any songs played from the Bormann era which is a pity. The Jaded Heart back catalogue is a virtual treasure chest filled with great songs. Still, there is plenty of great songs to choose from Helluva Time (2005) and forward.  A solid and quality release like this would merit at least 7.5 decibel geeks out of 10 possible. Put it on and crank it to 11!

The Lionsheart

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Wicked Sensation Creates an Adrenaline Rush

German melodic hard rockers Wicked Sensation hit back with a fourth album and the first since 2010´s Crystalized. The band was formed in 1999 in Karlsruhe, Germany by guitarist and songwriter Michael Klein. The original band was made up by Klein, guitarist  Sang Vong, lead vocalist Francis Soto, keyboard player Bernd Spitzner, bass man Martin Mannhardt and finally drummer Björn Gref. They released a self-financed and self-titled debut maxi-CD in 2000 which landed them a deal with now-defunct German label MTM records. Before releasing the highly praised Reflected through that label in 2001 Dutch vocalist Robert Soeterbeck (ex-Highway Chile, ex-Vulture) took over the mike from Soto. The album was a great debut album with huge choirs and hooks galore. Reflected was named album of the month in the large German magazine Rock IT! The album was well received by both fans and media. Tours followed with the likes of Axxis and Dare.

It took the band three more years to carve out another melodic masterpiece in the form of Exceptional, released in 2004. This is as the title suggests an exceptional album. I might not be objective because the lead vocals were handled by one of my all time favorite singers - Fernando Garcia (ex-Victory) replacing Soeterbeck. To this day, this is in my book a hugely underestimated effort with 12 great melodic gems with some great guitar playing from Vong/Klein as well. The songs and the riffs were all memorable and the stars aligned at that moment. Yet again the new album received rave reviews and was named album of the month in Spanish magazine Rock Hard. After another tour, the band called it quits in 2006 citing "musical differences". Ever heard that before?

Guitarist and main songwriter Michael Klein felt that the band had not yet run its course and in the summer of 2009 he reconnected with Robert Soeterbeck and started to write new songs. They were joined by Pink Cream 69 bassist and producer extraordinaire Dennis Ward, original keyboard player Bernd Spitzner and new drummer Dirk Bruinenberg (ex-Elegy, Bob Catley). They recorded the comeback album Crystalized which was released through the German Metal Heaven label. It contained all the typical trademarks of the earlier albums - strong songs, modern production, and top notch musicianship. Although not reaching the highs of Exceptional it was still a good comeback effort. It also featured a guest appearance from Andi Deris (Helloween, ex-Pink cream 69) on the song "My Turn To Fly!"

Adrenaline Rush!

So at the end of last year it was time for another Wicked Sensation album but it was a long way and a really bumpy road to even get it released in the first place. Wicked Sensation seems to be plagued by bad luck throughout the whole career and this new album is no exception. When the songs for Adrenaline Rush had been written by Soeterbeck and Klein the recording process started with Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69) at the helm. During that process, Soeterberck was diagnosed with a cyst on his vocal chord leaving operation as the only suitable option. He asked the band to find a singer that could finish the album and get it released although still staying with the band and a plan to come back when rehabilitation was finished. David Reece (ex-Accept, Bangalore choir, ex-Tango Down among others) offered his services and the album could finally be completed. The album also sees original members Sang Vong and Martin Mannhardt back in the fold.

Track by track comments 
So what does the new offering, Adrenaline Rush, sound like. Old fans won´t be disappointed, The band hammers through 11 songs in the classic Wicked Sensation heritage. It is a very solid effort with a whole bunch of strong songs filled with energy. This is how hard rock with a melodic edge should sound like! It´s filled with no-nonsense hard rock, filled with hooks and straight to the point. The songs are really catchy and stick easily in your head.

Wicked Sensation in action live
Picture courtesy of the bands Facebook page.

The album starts with grand opener "King Of My World" which is a great melodic song with a huge hook. David Reece does a great job on this and a nice riff and solo duel from Vong/Klein. The chorus has a habit of sticking in the head for a while after listening to this song and I find myself involuntarily toe-tapping. Lyrically it´s about nightmares and facing your fears. Then it´s time for "Same Old Situation" which is a straight ahead rocker lacking the predecessor's strong hook line. It´s still a solid rock song with some nice keyboard fills from Spitzner. It deals with a relationship that's been going on for too long. Third spot is occupied by "Misery" which starts off with a cool bassline from Mannhardt. A great riff with some fancy stuff on the guitar from Klein during the verses adds value and the song has a nice bridge building up to a memorable chorus line. There is also nice dual guitar duel from Klein/Vong in the midsection of the song.  One of the stronger songs on the album - definitely. It´s predecessor dealt with the negative side of relationships and this song is about the other side, about falling in love, having a crush and all the euphoric emotions that come with it. It is followed by the blues infused "Leave Me Like A Fool" and we get some nice Hammond organ sounds too. A notch heavier song that is getting more melodic for the chorus line. The song reminds me a bit of late 80´s Whitesnake. Relationships are again the main theme here and never finding the woman you are looking for and if you do, you find out she is not interested in you. Next up is "Blue Painted Sky" and we are now reaching midway through the album. Not glancing at the cover I first thought this song was called "Out On The Beach" with a gang vocal on that part of the lyrics, but it is not. Again it´s a strong effort with a nice hook with and a great gang vocal on the chorus. The lyrics deal with the feeling of driving your car on a nice sunny day heading for the beach with the wind in your hair listening to your favourite song - a situation I think we all can relate to.

Main songwriter Michael Klein
Picture courtesy of the bands facebook page

A familiar song title is up next for those of you familiar with the David Reece back catalog, a song called "Angel In Black". For those who are familiar with the Reece fronted Bangalore Choir might recall this is exactly the same song title as the first track on their debut album. This song continues on in the trodded line of melodic hard rock and you will have all features here with a hooky chorus line and a nice vocal melody during the verses. The dark lyrics deal with nightmares and fears. We are then treated with the first power ballad in "Living On My Memories" or maybe it´s a slow rocker? Anyway it´s again a song about bad relationships and a strong effort with a nice vocal from Reece. "Desperate Nation" is up next and now we´re back in the heavier department with a heavy riff driving the song and a layer of keyboards floating on top of that. With the heavier arrangement, it adds variation to the impression of the whole album. It's also different when it comes to the lyrics which are more "political" and describes a situation with ethnic cleansing (too common in our world today) and fighting for your life in a war you did not want. It´s now time for the title track and the fastest song so far on the album which also features a guest appearance by original UDO guitarist Mathias Dieth. The tempo is shifting up a gear for the chorus line. The song has several nice tempo changes and it´s a really strong song with a memorable hook. As the title suggests it's about driving your car at a high speed and the adrenaline rush that comes with it. One of the stronger songs on the album with interesting and different arrangements.  "No More Lies" starts of with a heavy and scratchy riff and some nice guitar harmonies soon kicking in. A heavy driving riff gets the song off the ground and in my opinion the strongest song so far. The message is to stand up for your beliefs and let nobody change who you are (including your partner!). The album rounds off with the acoustic ballad "This Time" . It represents a nice shift, adding some new elements to this excellent album. I guess it's during this song the phones will be brought forward (lighters are out of date I guess). The song seems to be about reaching out for help and the decision to take the chance "This Time".

Summary

Wicked Sensation 2014. Picture courtesy of
the band's Facebook page.

I´m sure you could argue that there is a lack of originality and that Wicked Sensation does nothing to reinvent the scene but that was never really the issue here. When you get this kind of quality songs and great music there is really not much to complain about! Wicked Sensation certainly have the kind of qualities that are so rare in today's music biz. I don´t think it reaches the highs of Exceptional (that really is an exceptional album!) but it´s not far off. You will get what you expect and demand from Wicked Sensation and that means catchy choruses, solid production, great vocal and guitar harmonies and some nice keyboard fills here and there.

This album should merit at least 8 geeks out of 10 for the consistency in the songwriting department, a solid vocal performance by David Reece alongside some nice licks from Klein/Vong. The more you listen to the album - the more you find small details - a drum fill here, a riff in the background there and so on. It´s still a very head on and straight hard rockin´ album that you can easily digest. If it´s in the race for the long run is hard to say. I wish Robert Soeterbeck a speedy recovery and would love to see this album promoted in a live situation. Well done boys!

The Lionsheart.



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