Band:	Overload
Album:	The Dark Side Of Ambition
Style:	Heavy metal, Power metal
Release date:	2007
A review by:	Bas

01. Safaga Road
02. The Power Is Rising
03. Hellbound
04. A Voice From The Dark
05. Suck My Balls
06. In The Mind Of A Slayer
07. The Dark Side Of Ambition
08. Monster Of Steel
09. Mirror Mirror On The Wall
10. Largo Winter
11. Spegel Spegel På Väggen Där

Overload is a Swedish threesome that already started out in 1987, but made a big break between 1995 and 2006. After their break they released a record of CDs already recorded in 1994 -1995 and now in both 2007 and 2008 they released an album with completely new material. For a review of the other "new" album go here: The Procession Of Tartaros review.

The Dark Side Of Ambition is Overload's first release after their long break. It's probably best described as heavy power metal with some thrash influences and a general "traditional" sound to it. When I listened to this album for the first time, the very first thought that crossed my head (after the intro was done) was that the band sounds like an almost perfect blend of the German heavy/power metallers of Grave Digger and the early material of Metallica.

Although the biggest part of the band's music is by far the guitar work, which mainly consists of rather heavy mid-tempo to fast riffing, but also provides a couple of very good solos, the most recognizable aspect of their sound are the vocals. The singing is extremely rough throughout the whole album and goes perfectly with the guitar though.

What makes me enjoy this release, and which seems to be a trademark on 'The Procession Of Tartaros' as well, is that the band has an extremely distinctive sound, yet manages to pack quite some variation in their songs. Every track sounds like Overload, yet you never have the feeling that the whole album consists of two or three songs which are just a little bit different. That's pretty much the feeling I always have when listening to newer heavy metal or thrash metal band, it seems like most youngsters could learn a lot from these Swedes!

A small turn-off though, the production is really subpar on a couple of tracks, with some more work in this area the whole CD could have been a lot nicer, still a very nice overall effort! Recommended!