This is the band’s first album, released in ’83. An original copy is going for silly money so when MOV announced they were releasing the first three albums, it was a no brainer. Coming across as a late seventies version of UFO, mixed with all the good bits of NWOBHM, they managed to get a deal with Epic records after the track Prisoner Of War was released in the US. The band was put together by guitarists Thomas Drevin and Mats Karlsson, who are still in the band today.
Lonely Nights is a great opening; melodic hard rock with plenty of guitar. No Return is very UFO with the riff and rhythm being very Michael Schenker. The End Of The World is very NWOBHM with some very tasty licks from both guitarists. Side 1 fades out with Gypsy Queen, and no prizes for guessing where they stole the intro riff from. Nightwinds gets things going and I’m a big fan of the twin harmony guitars that graces the intro and middle eight. The one thing that isn’t so great on the album is the vocals of Joachim Lundholm, who isn’t the strongest vocalist in the world. But, it’s the guitars that carry the album and Child Of The Night has a great fast riff and is very NWOBHM in style. Stop And Look Back has a nice opening riff and pounding beat and groove. Prisoner Of War was the single that got the band signed, and I’m guessing the label were looking to sign up any metal/hard rock bands they could get their hands on. Woman In White closes out the album and it’s classic NWOBHM, and I guarantee you will have heard that riff before.
If you take the vocals out of the equation, it’s a decent first album and it’s worth getting just for the guitars; plus the two albums after this are great records.
8/10 from The Grooveman.
