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OVERDRIVE
The Final Nightmare

Pure Rock (2014)
Rating: 9/10

Blessed with an album cover that is pure gold when it comes to metal design, obscure UK rockers Overdrive – who are not to be confused with the Swedish act of the same name – have released their first opus since 2006’s Three Corners To Nowhere.

It would seem that this quintet, who formed in Grantham way back in 1977, are as mysterious as their Swedish metal brothers of the same moniker in that they’ve certainly been round the block and yet still remain as a vastly underrated combo responsible for some fine records.

These guys may have aged since their debut vinyl release, the ‘On The Run’ 7” single in 1981, but boy are they showing the new kids on the block how to rock. Forget all this New Wave Of British Heavy Metal mimicry, because this is real pure rock entertainment.

Overdrive is David Poulter (vocals), Tracey Abbot (guitars), Ian Hamilton (bass), Ian “Scratch” Padgett (drums), Tim Hall (keyboards), and if I could describe the heavy metal thunder they make in three words I’d have to say “Saxon-meets-Motörhead”.

The Final Nightmare opens with the juicy rattle of ‘Invited To Hell’, which kicks in with a killer narration that evokes images of some crusty Dungeons & Dragons-type fantasy before the band lurches into its stride. Hardy percussion, a steady bass and a driving guitar set the scene, but Poulter’s vocals add that extra murky weight; the Overdrive frontman has an almost Lemmy-styled strain, yet less whisky-stained. Although I was initially concerned about the keyboards as a feature, they work perfectly. But for the most part this is cool, powerful metal kept simple and majestically genuine.

It’s almost as if we’ve stepped back to the early 80s as Padgett slams his skins and Abbot twiddles his life away, but as ‘Twice Shy’ comes crashing through the window I’m consumed by that unique air of British-ness which so many foreign bands are just unable to match. With elements of Black Sabbath circa the late 1980s and a marrying of Judas Priest, Saxon, Motörhead and Thin Lizzy, there’s a murky air of Northern England hanging over this mini-masterpiece; maybe it’s the glimmering starkness and just the pure yet simple energy the band applies.

The melodies come so naturally as ‘Glass Game’ leaks from the 80s into the modern day; there’s a stench of petrol as the denim-clad mercenaries drive off into the night perched on the back of flaming motorcycles. The grooves are enormous on ‘Glass Game’, but it’s not by mere fluke as ‘Twisting My Mind’ and ‘Wasted’ show the variation; the former is initially a prog rock sort of meandering, while the latter is a straight up, Motörhead-styled balls to the wall rocker. “Pour me another drink, pour me another wine, when my head is in the clouds I’m feeling fine… turn the music up real loud I don’t wanna think, pass me that bottle give me another drink” beams Poulter amid another sweat-fest of raging guitars and pacey drums. It’s classic rock ’n’ roll delivered straight from Lincolnshire, and it’s heavy metal as it should be played.

Need any more convincing? Then check out the heart-wrenching chords of ‘Taken Young (Ben’s Song)’ and the closing ‘Final Nightmare’ which won’t just coat the walls with sweat, but bring them down with one fell swoop. For those who weren’t there, this is what the 80s sounded like – and it’s proof that it still sounds better than anything today.

Neil Arnold

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