Newly-formed Oxford UK riff warriors, Overlord, deliver an unbending demo that rocks like early Fireball Ministry.
From the start, Overlord makes it clear what they're all about: Hard Rock. Aside from cohesive musicianship and impressive solos, singer Tal Fineman's vocals stand out over anything else, as the are probably the best thing about the demo. Overlord can play the hell out of a mean blues scale, but they leave me wondering what else they can do. So, I kept listening.
It's easy to drift while listening to this demo because it doesn't really stray too far from it's base (partly why I like it). The songs are consistent and also cover a lot of ground. There are subtle changes throughout which keep me interested - these variances add to the music. There are several instances throughout the demo that barely excited my darker sensibilities before smoothly transmogrifying into a headbanger jam. 'The Valley' has a cool reprise which takes it back to the chorus in order to close the song.
A couple notable tracks are 'What the Hell,' which emits a strong 70s vibe and 'Blind,' a slower, heavier track.
I liked this demo a lot, despite its weaknesses. They really do sound a lot like old (good) Fireball Ministry and even takes it a step further, as I've tried to explain. It's been a while since I've felt like listening to this style of Rock, but Overlord takes a beaten and about dead horse and breathes new life into it's fatigued, catatonic body. If you enjoy listening to the likes of Fu Manchu, Kyuss and Karma To Burn, then you might like Overlord.
This eponymous debut effort is available for free on the band's bandcamp page or as a limited pressing CD, also available through the band's bandcamp page. I look forward to hearing more from Overlord.
--Bones
http://overlord1.bandcamp.com/
