Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

Reviewed by David Pearce

Artist – Overlorde
Album – Medieval Metal Too
Label – formerly Metal Blade / currently Heaven and Hell Records
Year – March 6th 2012

1. Full Speed Ahead
2. Keeper Of The Flame
3. Enchantress Of The Night
4. In The Year 2525
5. Knights Of The Realm
6. So Be It
7. Trouble
8. Keeper Of The Flame (Metal Massacre Version)

In the late 1970s what would become Overlorde was being formed in Fayetteville, North Carolina. As one of the first heavy metal bands in the area Overlorde quickly began gaining popularity with their thunderous sound and theatrical stage shows opening for such acts as Kix, Maxx Warrior, Nantucket, Leatherwolf, Savatage, Warlock, and Wrathchild America, among many others. In 1985 the now infamous 4-song ‘Medieval Metal’ demo was recorded and distributed all over the world selling an amazing 10,000 copies. The tracks ‘Keeper of the Flame’ and the cover of early 70s folk duo Zager & Evans’ ‘In the Year 2525’ began gaining the band airplay across the country and abroad. Soon label attentions followed and the band was offered a slot on the popular Metal Blade ‘Metal Massacre’ series appearing on volume VIII. However, the times were quickly changing and Overlorde’s brand of traditional flavoured, N.W.O.B.H.M-esque heavy metal was no longer fashionable. The band would then slip into the depths of the metal obscurity only to be rediscovered years later by collectors and a new audience hungering for real heavy metal.

The album starts with Full Speed Ahead has a great riff that goes throughout the whole song, the vocals are well done and it has a brilliant little solo. Keeper Of The Flame starts off with an little intro riff then it gathers pace with a real galloping riff in which makes my start head banging, also the lyrics are well sung and it has stunning solos in the song. Enchantress Of The Night starts with an intro guitar riff then the drums and vocals come in clean and precise later in the song it has another stunning solo it gives the song its edge. In The Year 2525 this is a brilliant cover of Zager and Evans hit I think they would have been very proud of this. It has been done perfectly in their own style. Knights Of The Realm starts off with and very Iron Maiden style intro riff on this song it instantly gets my head banging with the pounding drumbeat and the quality vocals, with a really good riff and its stunning solos. So Be It starts off with a little bass run then goes into the main guitar riff. The vocals in this song are a little bit faster than the others on the album but are executed perfectly. The guitar riffs are superb as well as the screaming solos that are on it. Trouble immediately starts off with a powerful riff and bass line then the vocals come in which they are a bit different in the way they are being delivered they have more of a raw sound to them. But the song has some really good riffs and solos in there. The last song on the album is Keeper Of The Flame (Metal Massacre Version) this version is a little bit quieter sounding to the original but it has the good little intro riff then bursts into that galloping riff in which my head starts rocking. Again it is that riff it really gets me rocking then you have them stunning solos in there aswell, the vocals are very well executed on this aswell.

Overall  

This is a classic power metal album it is full of quality vocals, pounding drums, good bass lines, superb riffs and stunning solos. If these guys were In the UK they would have hit it off very well during the N.W.O.B.H.M era. They have the kind of style that fits right in with them times of heavy metal era in which stands the test of time. I personally think if they had kept going back then they would have been right up there with the best of them. But this is my personal opinion other may differ with what I have said but I think it is true they would have been up there. So go get this album it will not disappoint you it is a classic.

CURRENT LINEUP:
Steve V. Sosa Jr. : Vocals
Zip : Drums
George ‘Wildman’ Koerber : Guitar
Craig Dunham : Guitar
Rick Lewis : Bass