Heavy Load – Riders of the Ancient Storm

From 1979 and onwards, HEAVY LOAD was a four piece band. Besides the founding Wahlquist brothers (Ragne Wahlquist on vocals and guitars & Styrbjörn Wahlquist on drums and vocals), the band members were Torbjörn Ragnesjö and Eddy Malm.

Torbjörn Ragnesjö is still the bass player and Eddy Malm is an occasional special guest and joins the band on a few songs at certain concerts.

In 2018, the former STEELWING member member Niclas Sunnerberg joined HEAVY LOAD on guitar.

So Ragne Wahlquist, Styrbjörn Wahlquist, Torbjörn Ragnesjö and Niclas Sunnerberg are joining forces to offer to the world HEAVY LOAD’s comeback album. The record consists of 7 songs plus one bonus instrumental that is featured on the CD version.

The songs

“Ride the Night”: This is the album’s debut single. An instant HEAVY LOAD classic, a Heavy Metal anthem of our age. Mid tempo and as melodic as it can get -both in the verses and choruses-, this song resurrects the Heavy Metal spirit. An amazing job has been done on the classical / orchestral parts  that provide the song with a brilliant extra touch of melody. I would point main times the above mentioned parts that are mainly performed by violin and used to the majority of the songs, playing a very important role to the album’s overall musicianship: This is pure gold in a few words. Back to the song I must point that it is a great album opener and an excellent single choice as it actually marks -as a new composition- the band’s official return to action. Oh yes. Ragne’s vocals sound amazing in this!

“We Rock the World”: One of the two songs that Styrbjörn Wahlquist have composed on the album. A Hard ‘N’ Heavy composition that will take you by storm. It carries a remarkable late 70s touch and features an amazing guitar solo plus Sunnerberg’s vocals that are taking it to the next level. Yes Styrbjörn actually sings the two songs he have composed on this album and he sounds amazing!

“Walhalla Warriors” was composed back in 1986 and it is the older song that is included in this full length. I am really unable to count how many times I have listened to the demo version of the song that was partially released back in 2018 as a teaser to the -back then- forthcoming album. Another HEAVY LOAD anthem, another instant classic. The orchestral parts are really making the big difference in this one IMO. But we still have one of the best choruses that the band have ever composed and a wonderful guitar solo. The composition is touched by the classic HEAVY LOAD vibe. I still can not stop listening to it. Those who were on the Up the Hammers Festival XIII -Athens, Greece- have witnessed the magic of this song live. Yes it must be pointed that those HEAVY LOAD reunion concerts that took part back in ’18 were an important piece of the band’s reunion puzzle that shaped  in 2017. And yes, the very next chapter of this reunion saga is this particular album that we are reviewing right here, right now.

“Angel Dark” is the most adventurous track of the record. Is it just me or the song is actually blessed by a brilliant RUSH touch (“Grace Under Pressure” era). One way or another, here we are dealing with a piece of Heavy Metal art, an excellent song full of dynamics and tempo changes. The exotic, mystical solo, the orchestral parts and keys and the top vocals are driving the composition to brilliance. Love Ragne’s way of singing in this one.

“Slave no More” is the second song that Styrbjörn Wahlquist have composed for this album. A dark and majestic composition that carries this very specific BLACK SABBATH – “Headless Cross” vibe. Well actually the mentioned “Headless Cross” aura can be noticed in the most of the slow parts of the album -tip: listen carefully to the keyboards both in the verses of “Slave no More” and in “We Rock the World” for some more “Headless Cross” heaven-. I generally think that the mid tempo songs are the  band’s peak -when compared with the slower ones- but it seems that here we got a perfect composition, full of heaviness and melody. Styrbjörn’s voice is also great in this one.

“Slave no More” and its follower “Raven is Calling” are the newer songs that have been composed for the “Riders of the Ancient Storm” sessions. With the above fact in mind I keep on asking myself the following question as I listen to the “Raven is Calling” masterpiece again and again: “How the hell is possible for a band after 40 years to be able to compose songs that carry the same spirit as the band’s classic trademark songs”? Yes here we are dealing with a composition that carries all the classic HEAVY LOAD trademark features for good. Mid tempo, heavy as hell and amazingly catchy, “Raven is Calling” is reaching high sky level not only due to its orchestral parts and its melodic vocal lines but mainly to its solid and groundbreaking guitars. Another HEAVY LOAD classic? Yes.

“Sail Away” is one of the most emotional songs I have EVER heard. I am taking my words very seriously and this is not a statement generated through an enthusiasm explosion. I spent lots of hours listening to the tune again and again. In each and every listen my heart and soul were filled with the very same feeling that I had when I first heard some of my life soundtrack’s classics. Tears came into my eyes together with a huge, real and deep smile on my face. Someone should take some extra time and listen the lyrics of this song and the way those lyrics are singed. In the chorus the performance reaches the absolute, literal emotion, as the creators also go in tears while singing and playing: They are almost 70 years old and would like more time to give more things, but they know they may not get it. At the same time an overwhelming feeling of hope and optimism is born as the journey goes on. This song is pure magic. A wonderful and difficult to be described feeling of nostalgia, melancholy, happiness and hope is generated by this single composition. This song is a huge moment in the Heavy Metal history. You can mark my words and we can discuss it again when I will be 70 years old myself still listening to this very masterpiece. The song’s melodic formula and overall orchestration points to my favorite “Wake of Poseidon” by KING CRIMSON and this another reason that the song is already on the general list of my personal favorites and it is of course my favorite tune of this album.

“Butterfly Whisper”: Is a beautiful acoustic, instrumental piece, that will be a bonus tracks on the CD edition of the album. It straightly points to favorite psych / folk / prog 70s formulas and that is why it becomes a serious highlight on the release.

The lyrics: A tale written in stone and steel