Year : 1985 (Karthago Records Edition 2003)
Style : Melodic Heavy Metal
Country : Denmark
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 160 mb
Bio:
In 1982, the band currently known as Alien Force started playing music under the name Zeyking.The band was started by the two brothers Henrik Rasmussen (guitar) and Michael Rasmussen (drums) and the style was already then classic heavy metal. Together with Peter Svale Andersen (vocals) and Michael Østerfelt, (bass) Zeyking released the single “Get It Out”.In 1985 the band changed its name to Alien Force and with a record deal with Telaeg Records, released their first LP “Hell And High Water”. The record is nowadays a classic in the NWOBHM underground, being reprinted several times. Tracks from the record are still used for the live concerts the band plays. In 1986 Alien Force released their second LP “Pain And Pleasure” via their own record company Alien Records, since their previous label had close.Up through the 90’s it was difficult for the band to hold their breath and try to survive. Band members were replaced, the name and style changed, but it was all in all a difficult period and the band decided to stop after playing at many festivals and club gigs.In 2008, the band was invited to play a reunion concert in the famous rock club The Rock. The concert was a great success and Alien Force once again got blood on their teeth and not least the desire for metal back.Shortly after, the band entered their home studio with new energy and new ideas for songs and got more invitations to play festivals again, but unfortunately their guitarist Michael Wenzel lost his life to cancer and it was a great blow for the band again.After a long break, in 2018, Alien Force were invited to play Keep It True, one of Germany’s largest underground metal festivals. Alien Force presented themselves with the original line-up from the “Hell And High Water album and the concert served as a turning point. The band met fans from all over the world, who welcomed them with open arms and showed the band that they have a loyal fan base larger than believed.In 2020, Alien Force hits the studio again, inspired by the many concerts in Europe after the Keep it True experience. Together with Peter Brander in Media Sound Studio, they have recorded ten new songs ready for a new album, released by From The Vaults / Target Group in November 2021.The title of the album says it all: WE MEET AGAIN.The band is still in the original cast as in 1985 and the style is intact from that time, namely old school heavy metal with all that entails classic guitar riffs, convincing vocals backed by raw bottom.
Album:
Karthago Records Edition with 5 bonus tracks.Bonus tracks taken from the 5-track demo the band made back when they called themselves Zeyking.The 1980's saw the development of nearly every extreme metal genre that we know and enjoy today. There were also countless hair and glam metal bands putting out some of the most vacuous music ever conceived. Alien Force's Hell and High Water would fall into the latter category, but don't write it off just yet. I'm not going to argue that this album isn't a dopey tribute to romance, nerves, and nighttime escapades; but, I will argue that there's a lot of charm captured in these songs.The title track of the album really shows off what Alien Force has to offer. It's a quick, fun pop metal track about chasing after one's crush. the guitars are drenched in chorus and cornball distortion. The drums, of course, have a healthy dose of snappy reverb. The band stretches out a bit with a two minute guitar solo break down that's so endearing, it'll have you bobbing your head begrudgingly.Alien Force never really breaks out of the pop metal mold; but at the same time, they never stoop to the level of a Bon Jovi or a Poison. A big plus for the album is the notable absence of any mind-numbingly stupid songs about woman objectification. Songs like "To You" and "Night of Glory" hit the spot with dopamine infused mid-tempo riffs and undeniable hooks. Hell and High Water also offers a few tracks on the "darker" side like "Ripper" and "Stranger." The tracks keep the same schlocky pop guitar chugging with the added bonus of lyrics about unknown figures and mild menace. Sort of an Iron Maiden Lite shtick. It's not exactly a diverse offering, but the point is consistency, not risk taking.Ultimately, what makes Hell and High Water stand out is how tight the track listing is. None of the songs feel like filler to support two or three singles. All 45 or so minutes are air tight, bulletproof metal tunes. i just wish all 80's glam metal albums were this tasteful. If I owned a red convertible, this is exactly the tape I would push into the tape deck before cruising down the interstate.
Line-Up:
Peter Svale Andersen - Vocals - See also: ex-Zeyking, ex-Bad Medicine, ex-Gallery, ex-Medizine, ex-No Rape
Henrik Rasmussen - Guitars - See also: ex-Zeyking, ex-Bad Medicine, ex-Gallery (Dk), ex-Medizine, ex-No Rape
Michael Østerfelt - Bass
Michael Rasmussen - Drums - See also: ex-Zeyking, ex-Bad Medicine, ex-Before, ex-Gallery (Dk), ex-No Rape
Production:
Glass Mastered At – GZ Digital Media
Pressed By – GZ Digital Media
Producer – Michael Brenner
Written-By – Alien Force
Tracklist:
01. To You 04:24
02. Get It Out 04:33
03. Ripper 05:33
04. Nervous 04:30
05. Fly Away 05:34
06. Stranger 05:46
07. Night of Glory 04:34
08. Hell and High Water 05:34
09. Time Is Out 05:02
10. Hell and High Water (demo) 05:15 (Bonus Track)
11. Do It All the Way 04:21 (Bonus Track)
12. And I Knew 05:15 (Bonus Track)
13. Feel the War 03:57 (Bonus Track)
14. Halfway to Heaven 04:58 (Bonus Track)
Bonus tracks taken from the 5-track demo the band made back when they called themselves Zeyking
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