When I opened up the package from Lion Music and saw "Overdrive" I thought, "not THAT Overdrive is it??". I was very pleased to find out that it was indeed the "Overdrive" from the early 80's. They were thrown into the NWOBHM even though they reigned from Sweden and they had a nice following back in the day. Now, this must be a record or something, but it's their first CD in 24 years!
To put this into perspective, their first few releases were put out on LP. Reagan was president at the time and we still had an East Germany. The irony is that they fit right into the new Power Metal landscape in Europe, hell, kids hearing them for the first time will think their a new band. Hat's off to the guys, this is definatley a great story!
Now, onto the music and the band. The truly amazing part of this story is that the only one who is not any original member is lead singer Per Karlsson. Not to take away from the bands accomplishment, but the guys have all kept busy in the music scene, Janne Stark has done a lot of guitar work including Locomotive Breath. Kjell Jacobbson runs his own label Soundport Records. Needless to say the musicianship is superb on this recording. Karlsson brings fresh exuberance to the mix with his powerful voice. Some of the lyrics and content are dated, with good reason, they were written back in 1985! Still, they manage to keep the music sounding more modern, and luckily for them they wrote more mature songs in the first place. (could you imagine these guys singing about teenage girls now? Yikes!)
Fans of Classic Rock and Metal are going to love "Let The Metal Do The Talking", it's real and it's NOT loaded with a lot of extra bells and whistles, in fact it almost sounds live at times. The title track is a strong anthem that brings me back to the days of Saxon, Priest, early Def Leppard and that entire British scene. It's a blast hearing this stuff again done by guys who were actually there! Nothing against the new Metal bands, but there's something about hearing the people who help forge the scene return to this high level of quality work. I won't to into the songs individually, they're all solid with none really standing out more than the next. It's almost like listening to one long song with short breaks, you want to keep listening to the finish.
http://www.rockhardplace.com/reviews/2008/overdrive.htm
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| Overdrive - Let The Metal Do The Talking (Lion Music) By: Joe Florez www.live4metal.com |
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I have no idea how this band passed me by. They were an 80’s true metal band and I was into this music as soon as I was introduced into metal in the late 80’s. The band’s last release was twenty-four years ago and it’s only now that they have surfaced again, but with a new vocalist. The simplistic, catchy and fierce riffs opens “Army Of Darkness.” Very dated sounding, but with a better production. The drums just pound away and Per’s voice is a combo of mid to high range. It fits this music so perfectly. The solos are there with a touch of flash and is predictable, but fun. This one really sets the tone for what to come. So, hold on tight. The title track will bring you back to the decade of decadence. Even though |
it’s metal, you can hear the touch of glam in it. Great guitar work with a touch of blues slide guitar action in here and it works mighty finely. I have to admit that everything on is pretty much the same with the exception of varied speeds. Each track is loaded with vibrant energy and a passion for the past. Nothing is original on here, but is fun if you like to reminisce about the good old days of spandex and hairspray. I would have to say that I would avoid if you are looking for something more, but if you can handle hearing something you have heard before then it’s all good.
www.lionmusic.com | www.overdrive.se
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OVERDRIVE - "Let The Metal Do The Talking"
I had the somewhat dubious pleasure early last year to discover the comeback release of Swedish traditional metal exponents Overdrive, a five track EP featuring just one new song and re-workings of four older tracks celebrating the bands return from the wilderness and first released work since about 1984.
Solid musically but somewhat lacking in originality, the EP clearly laid strong foundations though as here, Overdrive have produced a fine album of no-nonsense, superbly produced and played metal that will evoke memories of the early 80s scene and delight any fan of well played heavy rock. Recommended if you like Judas Priest, Saxon etc "Let The Metal Do The Talking" is a hugely enjoyable, if slightly clichéd, statement of intent and the album just hammers home riff after riff of solid metal the way its supposed to be delivered.
The title track and "Bring Me To Submission" stand out nesses an impres move into smething like Queensryche territory, and a well placed instrumental, "Den Of Iniquity", resurrects a fine metal tradition that you don't get too often these days. A final track named "Reincarnation" both celebrates this somewhat unlikely successful comeback and also perhaps offers the best chance of notable attention featuring as it does the vocal talents of Chris Catena. That's not to say there's any issues with 'regular' lead singer Per Karlsson though, who as the only non-original member in this reunion possibly had the hardest job to perform - and perform he does superbly.
So much stronger than the EP its a genuine pleasure to witness the leaps Overdrive have made between that and this release. An excellent album.
****
Bill Leslie hotdigits.co.uk
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Band: Overdrive
Title: Let The Metal Do The Talking
Label: Lion Music
Since their demise back in 1984 Sweden’s Overdrive have since reformed for a one off appearance at the 1997 Sweden Rocks Festival, but 2003 saw the formation of the band proper, although shortly after the vocalist Pelle Thuresson left the band. However this did not deter the rest of the band, Janne Stark, Kiell Jacobsson, Kenth Eriksson and Kenta Svensson persevered and soon signed up Per Karlsson to fill the vacant vocalist slot. In 2006 the band once again resurfaced to make an appeared at Sweden Rocks, which in turn led to the band signing with Lion Music in 2007 for a new studio album, which once again reignited the Overdrive flame.
The bands new album ‘Let The Metal Do The Talking’ does just that as the band bring their classic sound bang up to date but still grasping on to that formidable 80’s metal sound.
The album gets underway in emphatic style with ‘Army Of Darkness’, a true to the core Metal track with its stampeding guitar riffs mixed with a heady rhythm section, all capped with the power-driven vocals of Karlsson.
The same no nonsense metal is continued with the title track ‘Let The Metal Do The Talking’, only this time it has more of a modern edge. Think Manowar meets Accept sound wise with the modern metal production courtesy of Johan Blomstrom, which makes this one of my favourite tracks off the album, as old school meet Nu school.
The metal riffs just come thick and fast on the superb ‘Fight To The Finish’, again it’s the old school metal attributes of harsh guitar riffs and big drums mixed with those phenomenal vocals that make the hairs on your neck stand up on end.
The more modern metal soundings of ‘Bring Me To Submission’ are next. This is definitely one of the heaviest tracks on the album and just rocks big style. The compelling guitar riffs of Stark and Jacobsson are just spellbinding on this one and these trademark guitar licks are carried on through to the next track ‘Trapped Under Ice’, a more melodic metal track still featuring some stirring guitar licks by Stark.
The band show their darker side with the haunting metal refrain ‘Deceived’ before really turning up the tempo several notches with the riff filled instrumental ‘Den Of Iniquity’, then it’s the hardcore metal of ‘Gravy Train’ that really lifts the mood of the album with Karlsson once again showing his vocal might along with the Jacobsson’s and Stark’s relentless riff building and the thunderous rhythm section of Svensson and Eriksson keeping it all together.
The band come out all guns blazing on the rifftastic ‘Chasing Highways’, this is a metal as it comes, full on under a head of steam, the metal express just keeps on rolling as the band unleash ‘Lodestar’, the rhythm section bombard this one with a thunderous bass and a pounding drum beat, and the massive ‘Sinister Warfare’, a one for the traditionalists out there, as the old school metal is allowed to run free once more.
The album closes with Italian Melodic Rock vocalist Chris Catena joining forces with Karlsson for the excellent Melodic Metal of ‘Reincarnation’, which rounds off a great return album from the band and will surely put them back on the metal map in 2008.
Www.themayfairmallzine.com |
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Overdrive - Let The Metal Do The Talking
Lion Music
file under Heavy / Power metal
Sjak: I truly didn't expect it anymore, but a mere twenty-four years after the release of their second album 'Swords And Axes', the third Overdrive record entitled 'Let The Metal Do The Talking' has finally seen the light of day. Of course in 2001 a small sign of life was detected already with the release of the limited live-album 'Mission Of Destruction - Live', but I thought that this would be the last to be heard of Overdrive. Luckily that the chaps in the band thought differently about this, because the new album has proven to be a very worthwhile effort once again. Overdrive in 2008 consists of four original members (Janne Stark - guitar, Kiell Jacobsson - guitar, Kenth Eriksson - bass and Kenta Svensson - drums) completed by new vocalist Per Karlsson and together they have succeeded in reliving the times of no-nonsense metal with much attention for the guitars.
Half of the songs that we find on this platter were already written in the eighties, but also the newer tracks definitely have their roots in that period. The music is carried by the passionate riffs of Janne and Kiell, which can also showcase their solo capabilities, and the powerful vocals of new kid on the block Per Karlsson. This accounts for a large number of very enjoyable metal songs like opening track 'Army Of Darkness', title track 'Let The Metal Do The Talking', 'Sinister Warfare', 'Fight To The Finish' and 'Trapped Under Ice'. Furthermore I think that the instrumental 'Den Of Iniquity' can be seen as one of the absolute highlights of the album. Soundwise they've left the eighties far beyond them and producer Johan Blomström together with the band has supplied the song material with a great sound. In the eighties Overdrive (together with Torch) was one of the best Swedish bands around and that fact is confirmed once more by this 'Let The Metal Do The Talking'. Welcome back, guys!
Rating: 85/100 (details)
overdrive.se |
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OVERDRIVE - "Let The Metal Do The Talking"
After a absence of almost 24 years the Swedish guitarist Janne Stark thought it was a nice idea to get his old band together. Soon the four original members started writing songs, but there was a slight problem. Because with a gap of almost 24 years, the old and half written songs from 1985 sounded a bit over dated. They didn’t want to drive to far from their original sound and at the same time they would not want the album to sound dated. And with the material of 1985 it would be a very big challenge to make something beautiful out of it.. But with the help of a new and vocalist Per “PerliOz” Karlsson and the young producer/engineer Johan Blomstörm they made a perfect bridge between the old and the new stuff. “Let The Metal Do The Talking” says it all.
“Let The Metal Do The Talking” is a nice 80’s-no nonsense Metal album. The sound is very Heavy Metal. And does reminds me from time to time of the good old day’s of Judas Priest and Accept. The vocals of Per are clear, warm and very convincing. Fast and heavy riffs, speediest drums, pounding basses and hellish guitar solo’s are the main ingredients of this album. Not only is this album very catchy, it is played very well. The strength of “Overdrive” is that they knows perfectly how to combine Old School Heavy Metal with the greatness of today’s Power Metal. So this album is not only a must have for fans of Accept, Pretty Maids and Mercyful Fate but fans of Iron Maiden, Helloween would also love this record. Every time I put this record on a wave energy fills the room. With the volume to the max, and me singing along very loudly, my neighbors must love me by now…
Lion Music has wrapped their arms around this beautiful pearl and I’m sure they will not regret it, because everybody has got to love this album.
review from Gothronic
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OVERDRIVE - "Let The Metal Do The Talking"
OVERDRIVE – “Let The Metal Do The Talking” CD ’08 (Lion Music, Swe) – Now THIS is metal. Airbourne should take this CD, go to a deserted island where they can’t hurt anybody but themselves while they try to absorb what this veteran Swedish outfit have done. The first thing they would learn is a very quick, sharp and knife-like instrument to the head called “Lead Guitar.” If anybody here remembers, OVERDRIVE were one of the first real, live heavy metal bands from Sweden and one of the things that put them on the map was the guitar work. Who can forget Side Two of that “Swords & Axes” album?! Jesus! Just when one solo ended, another one took off and it all fit perfectly in the context of all the songs. Axe slingers Janne Stark (he of later fame in Locomotive Breath, Mountain Of Power, etc.) and Kjell Jacobsson open up the floodgates again here, some 24 years down the line & sound like they’ve never stopped. Oh sure, the tuning for the rhythms may be lower, the riffs may be a tad more gnarly than on those ancient texts they scribed in the ‘80’s, but one listen to “Fight To The Finish,” “Trapped Under Ice” & “Sinister Warfare” will let you know these guys mean Business with a capital “B.” Serious “shards of lead guitar death” time, kiddies. With all 4 musicians returning from the olden times, you might ask how new singer Per Karlsson fits in the mix. The answer is…great! Listen to him on “Gravy Train” or “Bring Me To Submission.” This is first class metal, just like you were hoping it would be…no “oh shit it’s a reunion of old folks” here, this is just a bunch of hungry wolves coming back for another feeding frenzy and your auditory canals are in danger of a good beating. Grab it now!
http://www.raysrealm.blogspot.com/
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The idea of power metal is so promising. There's something irresistible about bands with enchanting names, logos blazing in polished steel, songs spinning epic fantasy yarns of brutal battles, hexes, and ghastly beasts via crackling, driving riffs and commanding musicianship. But so many countless mediocre-to-poor albums have been cast in this mold throughout the globe, many jaded metal fans would rather dry-shave their genitalia than sit through another generic power metal album. It's sad, but true.
Sweden's long-running metal men OVERDRIVE made quite a splash in the 80s with notable, guitar-driven platters like 1984's "Swords and Axes", a somewhat legendary release among fans and collectors due to it's NWOBHM-sodden hooks and Shrapnel-esque prowess from guitarist Janne Stark (also of LOCOMOTIVE BREATH). After twenty or so years of dormancy, Stark and crew revived the OVERDRIVE moniker, sticking their toe in reunion waters with 2006's "Resurrected" and now plunging headlong into full-length territory with "Let the Metal Do the Talking".
Thankfully, OVERDRIVE hasn't lost their touch. The sound is reminiscent of "Swords and Axes", but the guitars are beefier, riffs are hard-panned and crunchy, and vocalist Per Karlsson buries former singer Pelle Thuresson in terms of range and charisma, (recalling former Malmsteen frontman Jeff Scott Soto in spots). The disc is chock full of great riffs, memorable choruses and wild guitar antics in cuts like "Fight to the Finish", "Sinister Warfare", and "Army of Darkness". Stark demonstrates his musical dexterity with fervor, walking the fine line between virtuosity and entertainment without crossing into self-indulgence. Even the 8+ minute closer "Reincarnation" keeps the listener riveted with Schenker-esque guitar howls, strong vocal harmonies, and riffs galore. "Let The Metal Do The Talking" is a winning purchase for any fan of classic metal. Crown Sir Stark's head with a laurel; he's done it again.
4/5 www.peacedogman.com/reviews/041908over
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