Overdrive – Angelmaker

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Sweden’s Overdrive formed in 1980, but split after just two albums released in 1983 and 1984. Various brief reunions in 1993 and 1997 produced demos and a few new songs, but nothing lasted until another reunion in 2003. The new line-up, featuring original guitarist and veteran of the Swedish rock scene Janne Stark and Portrait vocalist Per Karlsson, finally produced the band’s third album in 2008, and now their fourth three years later. Overdrive’s straight-ahead melodic/traditional metal style is something that can either be refreshing when done well in a metal climate of bands trying anything but the traditional, or tired when done badly. Fortunately Overdrive have hit the right mix of melody and hooks with blazing solos and technical riffs (the latter pair normally often sacrificed by many bands, along with heaviness, in favour of the former). Some excellent groove metal is achieved on tracks like In Gut We Trust, Mother Earth, the title track and Under The Influence include elements strongly reminiscent of Iced Earth, and the verse vocals on I Know There’s Something Going On sound very much like Mats Levén. Similarities aren’t the name of the game though and for the most part Overdrive carve themselves a very respectable mark in the traditional metal landscape. The album ends with a bit of a whimper though, as what would at first appear to be a meaningfully epic ballad in ten-minute closer The Wavebreaker turns into a cliché-driven rocker with a galloping riff even too basic for early Iron Maiden or Saxon. When not looking for a great deal of intense thinking, Overdrive are likely be as close as 2011 is going to get for straight-ahead, fun metal.

Written by Andy Lye
More: 2011, Albums, Heavy Metal, Quick.Play Reviews, Overdrive