At last, OVERLORDE are back. Almost twenty years after their monumental album “Return of the Snow Giand“, the Americans emerge once again from their frozen wastelands to deliver another overdose of fully charged U.S. Heavy Metal. And from the first seconds of “Awaken the fury” it is more than obvious that there are no-holds-barred to the level of metal in this one. Fast, furiously performed, aggressive and 100% metal, OVERLORDE bring forth all the best elements of the 80’s into the new century.
“Fire in the sky” adds fuel to the flame and the following track “The Madness within” swifts into a more mid-tempo, early 80’s SABBATH meets PRIEST style with a classy playful main riff. Definitely the most “retro” song of the album. “Battle at Marathon” keeps up with the SABBATH spirit with the addition of a rockish groovy melody and an epic bridge-chorus. Next track, “Destroy us all” is more dramatic, quite epic as if the destruction of the world is at hand. “Gargoyles” is a seven minute epic that begins with a slow dizzying theme but halfway overdriven guitars take the lead and it is transformed into an epic-metal anthem. I was quite fond of this one.
Right now we are halfway through the album: “Ashes” is the track that speeds up things a little bit, while the following “Hammer strike” is another massive fast metal strike. “Paranoid delusions” is a nightmarish TWISTED SISTER / mid-URIAH HEEP inspired song, and one of the absolute highlights of the album. And of course albums like these should end with a dreamy, melodic, acoustic ballad. So sit back and let the dreamy flux of “Migraine” carry you away. Right? HELL NO! The final track couldn’t be something less than another metal anthem, the best way for this album to end.
Right on, if you survived through this, you couldn’t help noticing that the albums highlights are the vocals of George Tsalikis. Honestly speaking, I am a huge fan of Tsalikis / ZANDELLE and I was quite pleased to discover that George Tsalikis continues deliver high quality performances.
As far as the sound is concerned, I found it a little rough yet quite fitting for the style of metal that it is delivered. What’s more, I should give cudos to Daniele Gay who drew the magnifiscent war-themed cover art, I really liked this one.
To sum up, I’d say that this is an album for those who live and breathe for American Metal: each and every U.S. hero is somehwere here: TWISTED SISTER, JUDAS PRIEST, MANOWAR, RIOT, THE RODS even underground acts like HELSTAR, OMEN, LEE AARON, W.A.S.P., ANVIL etc.
Old farts who don’t want to lower the volume to 9. This is a modern classic.
Zippo
Second opinion:
It was about time for a classic US Metal band to return back in action. I mean yeah we needed such a comeback, you know. But this comeback should be based on the music and not just on a name re production.
Well I am extremely happy to inform you, that OVERLORDE’s comeback album is a massive manifesto on the classic New Jersey Steel as it was presented on the band’s same titled debut Mini LP back in 1987.
One of the first things I paid serious attention at -during the album’s very first listening session-, was the production. OVERLORDE have managed to create a warm, old school production that opens the gate to the long gone but not forgotten, 80s era.
So yeah the sound is here, the vibe is here, but what about the actual music? Fortunately the band have kept all of the songwriting formulas that made them one of the classic US Metal bands of the underground realm. So expect nothing more and nothing less than solid riffing, blazing lead parts and wonderful vocals.
Oh yes the vocals. Obviously George Tsalikis is the band’s greatest weapon: He is able to take each and every song to the very very next level thanks to his amazing vocal melodies and his outstanding performance: Pure excellence.
Well if you are really missing some pure US Metal in the vein of HELSTAR, PARADOXX, LIEGE LORD and RIOT, this beautiful record should be your next purchase.
Chris Papadakis
Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
Release date: December 22nd, on No Remorse Records. Pre order the album here.
