One thing must be stated: NWOBHM was a musical movement that started in the middle of the 70's, and that caused changes on music throughout the world. Yes, the echoes of it unleashed answers from different countries on Europe and America. And Sweden had their early Metal bands, one of them being the legendary quintet OVERDRIVE. And for the sake of Many Old School Metalheads, here is their first album being reissued, "Metal Attack".

Originally released on 1983, this album shows the clear influence from NWOBHM on the weighty appeal mixed with charming English Hard Rock (namely URIAH HEEP and DEEP PURPLE) influences, but there's a lot influences from names as JUDAS PRIEST, RIOT (today called RIOT V) on the guitars' arrangements, but there's that clear Swedish Rock DNA on the melodies, something that would define many features from bands of the country in the future. For some fans it's nothing new, but for those days, this album was really amazing. And as good music knows no time, dig into it as much as you can! Even for those days, when things were being defined, the sonority is really excellent. The work done by the hands of Peter In de Betou and Per-Ake Anderberg on the production gave the album's sonority weight and strength, but allowing the band to express its musical ideas in a way that anyone can understand without problems. It's very good, indeed.

This reissue is really a fine choice, because new generations are able to hear and have a copy of such classic. The 9 original tracks are all great, being "Back on the Hunt" (a heavy Hard'n'Roll song where the strength of JUDAS PRIEST influences on the guitar riffs and solos is sensible, but in a personal way), "Heart of Stone" (a song filled with classic melodies created by the guitars, but what a lovely work of the 'plantian' vocals, especially on the chorus), "Breaking Out" (a brutal strength of the playing of bass guitar and drums can be heard, giving weight to the song), "Metal Attack" (a brutal melodic crush comes from it, filled with catchy sets of slower tempos), "Doomwatch" (one can say that's the more accessible song of the album due the Hard Rock clear essence of the melodies, but pay attention on the very good vocals and guitars), and "Freelance" are the right ones for a first time on it. But pay attention to the bonus tracks, being "Overdrive" and "20th Century" from their legendary first demo tape (but the sonority isn't bad at all), and the crude approach shown on "Sounds of War", "Metal Attack" and "Heart of Stone".

Yes, it's really a surprise that "Metal Attack" is being reissued, and it's an opportunity for old fans and for Old School Metalheads to have a copy of what OVERDRIVE offers.