When a veteran band releases an album, we must pay to them some respect. It's not a fan boy matter (as some writers and readers love to say, to label the passion they lack as something "unwanted"), but to see and respect the efforts made by many to build what we see (and like) today. Moreover, on Metal and Rock, passion for what we do is an exigency. Now, we pay some respect to Austrian renegades from SPEED LIMIT, a quintet that is on Rock/Metal road since 1979, and is coming with another very good work on the album "Anywhere We Dare".

In their musical work, you'll find just that old and good mix between Classic Hard Rock with some NWOBHM influences (names and JUDAS PRIEST and DEF LEPPARD on their earlier albums can come to our minds in many moments). Of course we have this same form of music being played for years and years, but the quintet shows an elegant and personal way to play their songs. Obviously the main focus on creating very good melodies and hooking choruses, but they do a very good work. The sin of "Anywhere We Dare" resides on its sound quality. The band is very good, the songs are great, but the sonority of the album is too raw, trying to emulate the same sound from the past. Ok, I admit that they were searching for something more organic, but this moldy and raw sound quality could have being done in a better way.

The melodies and catchy energy of "Anywhere We Dare" with its lovely vocals, the Hard'n'Roll scent that permeates "Sober Truth" (what a great work from guitars), the heavy and slow tempos of the climatic "No More Ace to Play", the fast and catchy harmonies of "Step Out of the Line" and "Good Year for Bad Habits", the accessible arrangements that fills "Retired Hero", and the pure Rock 'n' Roll hooking atmosphere of "Dealing with Danger" can fit as their finest moments. But I believe that "Anywhere We Dare" is a great experience to be heard from the beginning to its end.

Once more: you can call me a "fan boy" (and of course I'll tell you a big "fuck you" in response), but SPEED LIMIT, as all veterans, has many things to teach. Just listen to "Anywhere We Dare" and let the class begin.