METAL JUKEBOX

Karo - Heavy Birthday (1988)













Year : 1988
Style : Melodic Hard Rock
Country : Germany
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 114 mb

Bio:

Hard rock band from Berlin, Germany active from 1985 to 1988.Great melodic Hard rock band from Berlin. Sadly, this 1988 album was the bands one and only release and it has since earned the status of a “cult classic”. Commercial Hard Rock was their thing and they had this special flair, which turned good songs into pretty great catchy tunes. The keyboard had an important part alike at many Hard’n Heavy bands, although it wasn’t too bombastic and too much used alike at many Wannabe Metal bands.The singer Lutz Salzwedel alias Dan Lucas may sound familiar to some because he recorded three albums later under the name Dan Lucas that was more melodic rock/AOR. If you’re into German 80s AOR with fluffy keyboards and hookladen songs with catchy bombastic refrains and brilliant melodies -you should get their hands on this one.

Album:

What constitutes a classic is very open to interpretation and is normally best left to individual fans to decide. An album I would describe as an absolute classic because I grew up with it and feel a close affinity with it might be classed as dated and irrelevant by someone hearing it for the first time today. Thanks to the Internet a whole range of melodic rock releases are now being talked about and viewed by interested readers unfamiliar with many of the titles.These re-issues are designed to introduce those interested people to the titles and also for LP owners to update their treasures, but those that will get most value from any individual title are the ones that grew up with the record in question.Karo from MTM Classix just happened to be one album that breaks my just explained rule! It's an album I have had on my must get list, due to the fact I am a huge fan of vocalist Dan Lucas – reaccredited here under his real name Lutz Salzwedel. I'll call him Dan!More hard rock than his AOR solo record, Karo lives up to its reputation for being a classic. The opening track Wanna Be Loved is everything I love about 80's hard rock and better late than never as far as getting this track.One Of A Kind is another cool track, not to mention another anthem in Sister Sister and Call Of The Wild. The album doesn't finish as strongly as it opened, but there's enough here to warrant a recommendation. Despite reprising the album's best track, the bonus tracks don't add much value.The first of two new versions of the song turns the rock anthem into a ballad of sorts and the second is an acoustic version, which takes the same lead vocal from the previous track, but strips everything back except for the acoustic guitar.

Line Up:

Lutz Salzwedel alias Dan Lucas - Vocals (Ex-KARUSSELL, PASSION)
Erich Holstein - Guitars
Karo Straub - Keyboards
Dieter Seeburg - Bass
Ronald Bosien - Drums

Produced: Peter Hauke
Engineered and Mixed: Andy Lunn
Recorded at Hotline Studio, Frankfurt
Mastered: Christian Stegmaier at Teldec Mastering Studios

Tracklist:

01. Wanna Be Loved
02. One Of A Kind
03. Still Hate To Loose
04. Sister Sister
05. Ball Of Fire
06. Call Of the Wild
07. No-Man's Land
08. Out On The Line
09. Cold Shoulder
10. Nobody's Fool

+ Video "Sister Sister" (Live Video)




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

Karo - Heavy Birthday III (2018)











Year : 2018
Style : Melodic Hard Rock
Country : Germany
Audio : 320 kbps + front
Size : 120 mb

Bio:

Hard rock band from Berlin, Germany active from 1985 to 1988.Great melodic Hard rock band from Berlin. Sadly, this 1988 album was the bands one and only release and it has since earned the status of a “cult classic”. Commercial Hard Rock was their thing and they had this special flair, which turned good songs into pretty great catchy tunes. The keyboard had an important part alike at many Hard’n Heavy bands, although it wasn’t too bombastic and too much used alike at many Wannabe Metal bands.The singer Lutz Salzwedel alias Dan Lucas may sound familiar to some because he recorded three albums later under the name Dan Lucas that was more melodic rock/AOR. If you’re into German 80s AOR with fluffy keyboards and hookladen songs with catchy bombastic refrains and brilliant melodies -you should get their hands on this one.

Album:

What constitutes a classic is very open to interpretation and is normally best left to individual fans to decide. An album I would describe as an absolute classic because I grew up with it and feel a close affinity with it might be classed as dated and irrelevant by someone hearing it for the first time today. Thanks to the Internet a whole range of melodic rock releases are now being talked about and viewed by interested readers unfamiliar with many of the titles.

Line Up:

Lutz Salzwedel alias Dan Lucas - Vocals (Ex-KARUSSELL, PASSION)
Erich Holstein - Guitars
Karo Straub - Keyboards
Dieter Seeburg - Bass
Ronald Bosien - Drums

Tracklist:

01. Coz I'm Hot
02. Joyride
03. Lost In The Crowd
04. Walking On Ice
05. Hit And Run
06. White Monkey
07. Slow Dancing
08. Metal Hero
09. Bad Things Come Back
10. Watch Out
11. Up And Down
12. Saying Goodbye




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

Karo - Heavy Birthday II & III (2CD) (2019)













Year : 2019
Style : Melodic Hard Rock
Country : Germany
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 225 mb

Bio:

Hard rock band from Berlin, Germany active from 1985 to 1988.Great melodic Hard rock band from Berlin. Sadly, this 1988 album was the bands one and only release and it has since earned the status of a “cult classic”. Commercial Hard Rock was their thing and they had this special flair, which turned good songs into pretty great catchy tunes. The keyboard had an important part alike at many Hard’n Heavy bands, although it wasn’t too bombastic and too much used alike at many Wannabe Metal bands.The singer Lutz Salzwedel alias Dan Lucas may sound familiar to some because he recorded three albums later under the name Dan Lucas that was more melodic rock/AOR. If you’re into German 80s AOR with fluffy keyboards and hookladen songs with catchy bombastic refrains and brilliant melodies -you should get their hands on this one.

Album:

Berlin based Hard Rock outfit KARO put out their only album “Heavy Birthday” in 1988. Praised by critics and fans alike for their melodic but somehow rough style was met by great songwriting and musical talent. It has been an open secret that KARO recorded over 30 songs between 1987 and 1989, of which only 10 ended up on their debut. KARO played support for MEAT LOAF but was dropped by their label in 1989. The idea to put out “Heavy Birthday II & III” as a double decker CD was born. With Holstein and Bosien having passed away already, this is the ultimate legacy of KARO.Producer Tony Platt worked with the band back in the day, having already gained experience with AC/DC. The sound can be best described in the context of the many Glam and Hard Rock bands of the 1980’s. With a siren for a vocalist, and sensible riffing with noticeable keys, it fits in with the times, with a big chorus full of backing vocals. Part RATT, part WHITESNAKE, and part HURRICAINE, the melodies are easy to grasp, and it’s the kind of music that is easy listening but with an edge or a bite as well.With 25 tracks to listen to, let’s get to some of the highlights on this double decker sandwich. “Breakout” has a lot of energy, fueled by shrieking vocals, and guitars and keys trading off, and with a nasty riff, it is full of melody but with a gritty snarl. “All the Way” leads off with melodic keyboards and a positive sound that makes you feel good. I am starting to wonder why this band didn’t have more success. Keys weren’t uncommon during the late 1980’s, but they feature them more fully. “Blind Love” shows a more tender side of the band, with a slower cadence and more emotional vocals. The vocals are especially expressive here, digging deep with emotional peaks in his smooth but raspy vocal style.“Turn the Trick” has a rough edge to it; a mid-tempo song with a big chorus, full of backing vocals and prominent keys. Keyboards are the key to their sound; they really know how to use them to shoot the melodies high. Take “Deceiver” as an example of this, opening with a steady keyboard presence followed by a guitar solo, and then a rough and heavy riff. Keys come back into play heavily here…with my approval. “Burning Alive” has a charging sound, again led by keys, and a strong vocal performance. He has just enough of a rasp to give the music that edge that they were talking about earlier.“Still Hate” opens with a pensive sound. It’s an unconventional sound in that the guitars or bass don’t have much of presence…it’s mostly keys and vocals. “Joyride” shows the more energetic side of the band, with a burning energy but not giving up the melodies. Salzwedel really hits some high notes with ease here. “Walking on Ice” is a mid-tempo number with plenty of balls. The chorus is big and full and I am reminded of SCORPIONS here. “Slow Dancing” features the guitar more prominently, but still with a lot of melody. There are several lead breaks here which add more layers to the music. “Saying Goodbye” wraps up the album, with a dual meaning. It has tough, sleazy sound, mostly from that dirty guitar riff.Overall, there was much to enjoy here on this double decker album. I am still scratching my head as to how this band didn’t enjoy the success of many others during these times. The only thing that I can come up with is their nationality. In the states during these times, we were oversaturated with bands in this style and couldn’t fit many more into our pocket. We as Americans tend to be too ethnocentric as well. Germany did produce ACCEPT and SCORPIONS, but KARO is more on the melodic side of the path. Unfortunately, we will probably never no why, but I highly recommend you pick this up and enjoy the ride.

Line Up:

Lutz Salzwedel alias Dan Lucas - Vocals (Ex-KARUSSELL, PASSION)
Erich Holstein - Guitars (R.I.P.)
Karo Straub - Keyboards
Dieter Seeburg - Bass
Ronald Bosien - Drums (R.I.P.)

Produced: Peter Hauke
Engineered and Mixed: Andy Lunn
Recorded at Hotline Studio, Frankfurt
Mastered: Christian Stegmaier at Teldec Mastering Studios

Tracklist:

CD1: (Heavy Birthday II)

01. FBTL
02. Breakout
03. Take Me Higher
04. All The Way
05. Don’t You Turn Me Back
06. Blind Love
07. Turn The Trick
08. Deceiver
09. Dancing On My Finger
10. Burning Alive
11. The Only Game
12. Still Hate
13. All The Fun (Bonus Track)

CD2: (Heavy Birthday III)

01. Coz I’m Hot
02. Joyride
03. Lost In The Crowd
04. Walking On Ice
05. Hit And Run
06. White Monkey
07. Slow Dancing
08. Metal Hero
09. Bad Things Come Back
10. Watch Out
11. Up And Down
12. Saying Goodbye




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

Karo - Heavy Birthday (1988) (MTM Classix Edition 2005)













Year : 1988 (MTM Classix Edition 2005)
Style : Melodic Hard Rock , AOR
Country : Germany
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans + Video
Size : 126 mb

Bio:

Hard rock band from Berlin, Germany active from 1985 to 1988.Great melodic Hard rock band from Berlin. Sadly, this 1988 album was the bands one and only release and it has since earned the status of a “cult classic”. Commercial Hard Rock was their thing and they had this special flair, which turned good songs into pretty great catchy tunes. The keyboard had an important part alike at many Hard’n Heavy bands, although it wasn’t too bombastic and too much used alike at many Wannabe Metal bands.The singer Lutz Salzwedel alias Dan Lucas may sound familiar to some because he recorded three albums later under the name Dan Lucas that was more melodic rock/AOR. If you’re into German 80s AOR with fluffy keyboards and hookladen songs with catchy bombastic refrains and brilliant melodies -you should get their hands on this one.

Album:

We presented here many must-listen Melodic Hard Rock / AOR albums from the ’80s in remastered form, and today it’s time for this German band and their debut LP, reissued with 2 bonus tracks. We’re talking about KARO 1988’s “Heavy Birthday”, and there’s two reasons to this feature. First; it’s a superb album, and second, it was requested in max quality.This ”Heavy Birthday [MTM Classix remastered +2]” CD appeared on the great, specialized German label MTM Classix, and remastered by Tony Übler, responsible of most YesterRock remasters.KARO was founded by keyboardist Karo Ceh (aka Karo Straub) and drummer Ronnie Bosien from the ashes of the hard rock outfit Morgenrot. Both wanted to explore the more commercial sound ruling the airwaves circa 1986. They found a terrific vocalist in Lutz Salzwedel, who later changed his artistic name to Dan Lucas releasing two stupendous AOR albums (‘Canada’ and ‘2000’).“Heavy Birthday” was released in 1988, and its title and artwork makes you think of a heavy metal product. Not at all.This is pure second half of the ’80s Euro Melodic Hard Rock / AOR, with lots of keyboards of course, but not overwhelming giving room to the vocals to shine and complemented by powerful doses of guitar providing a solid backbone.There is a lot of similarity to other outfits around about the same time: including CRAAFT, ROKO, FATE, MYDRA, and even early SHY.There’s no weak tracks on this album, all catchy and driving. Opener and first single ‘Wanna Be Loved’ has all the necessary ingredients for a rich melodic rock offering, with a bouncy rhythm, synth flashes, top vocals and a catchy chorus. This reissue includes a newly recorded version specially done by the band for the occasion, plus an acoustic take.Second track in ‘One Of A Kind’ has a kind of Shy-like feel Salzwedel / Lucas in a high pitch fashion, there’s an elegant midtempo in ‘Still Hate To Lose’, while ‘Sister Sister’ is a winner: synth / keyboard-driven AOR of the highest order.‘Ball Of Fire’ is another favorite of mine with ‘that ’80s’ atmosphere and there’s loads of pumping bass and parping synth on ‘Call Of The Wild’, an anthemic track which breaks out the organ as well.‘No Mans Land’ shows KARO’s hard rock origins with a punchy rhythm, as well as ‘Cold Shoulder’ combining racy guitar lines and high-flying synth parts. The album finishes up with the stomping ‘Nobody’s Fool’, where the band does something more poppy akin DOMINOE meets Canadian hi-tech AOR.Regarded as a ‘cult classic’, I think KARO’s “Heavy Birthday [digitally remastered +2 bonus]” should be placed a step or two above. This is a terrific slice of classic ’80s AOR / Melodic Hard Rock in an European fashion, the kind of albums you really love if visiting this blog.Take a look again above about how this album sound alike, and I forgot to mention BONFIRE as well as comparison. Awesome stuff.

Line Up:

Lutz Salzwedel alias Dan Lucas - Vocals - See also: ex-KARUSSELL, PASSION
Erich Holstein - Guitars
Dieter Seeburg - Bass
Ronald Bosien - Drums
Karo Straub - Keyboards

Production:

Produced At – Hotline Studios
Produced At – Comforts Place
Engineered At – Comforts Place
Mixed At – Comforts Place
Edited At – Battery Studios, London
Mastered At – Teldec-Studio, Berlin
Cover – Dieter Klinkhart
Design, Art Direction – Emmo Reiss
Edited By [Assembled By] – Tony Platt
Engineer, Mixed By, Co-producer – Andy Lunn, Tony Platt
Mastered By – Christian Stegmaier
Photography By – Klaus Dieter Gerding*
Photography By [Karo] – Dieter Eikelpoth
Producer – Peter Hauke
Remastered By – Toni Übler

Tracklist:

01. Wanna Be Loved
02. One Of A Kind
03. Still Hate To Loose
04. Sister Sister
05. Ball Of Fire
06. Call Of the Wild
07. No-Man's Land
08. Out On The Line
09. Cold Shoulder
10. Nobody's Fool
11 Wanna Be Loved (New Version 2005) (Bonus Track)
12. Wanna Be Loved (Acoustic Version) (Bonus Track)

+ Video "Sister Sister" (Live Video)




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/