1987 Demo

Overlorde (now called Overlorde SR, which, in reference to their recent reunion, stands for Still Rocking) are yet another of that small group of bands who released top-tier demos and yet have remained almost completely unrecognized for them; alongside Dark Deception, Blind Assassin, Oblivion, and many others, Overlorde have never reached the success they deserved, and, unfortunately, never really got a chance to reach their full potential, releasing only two demos before fading into oblivion. Of course, now that they're back together, it's possible that that potential might indeed be reached, but given that it's been twenty-five years since their last demo, I'm not keeping my fingers crossed.

Overlorde play in the blue collar USPM style alongside more well-known acts like Omen, Liege Lord, and Jag Panzer. They hail from North Carolina, which is noteworthy, since they're one of only a couple of USPM acts to come from that state, and the only one worth listening to. However, their sound isn't particularly unique, sounding similar to Omen's Battle Cry, with the rough but warm vocalist Steve Sosa sounding pretty damn close to J.D. Kimball's performance on that album, albeit with a bit less grit and charisma than Kimball. Don't be fooled, though - Sosa sounds quite good, possessing some singular charm that comes across immediately to the listener.

The riffing is simple and proud, and the first two songs have an epic atmosphere to them. "Knights of the Realm" is probably the best song Overlorde ever released, and easily on par with anything from Omen's debut, which isn't a comparison I make lightly. The driving, catchy riffs, combined with Sosa's warm but barbaric vocals provide a fantastic atmosphere, both headbangable and powerful, one that certainly warrants repeat listens. "So Be It" is in a similar vein, although not quite as good; the song is extremely repetitive, and while that's not a bad thing, it does get slightly grating towards the end of its duration; however, the dark, savage riffs and Sosa's cleaner, more melancholy delivery work well together, providing the listener with another winner.

"Trouble" is a bit different. While the first two songs sound almost exactly like Omen, this one is a more classic heavy metal/hard rocker in the vein of Judas Priest, although there are still hints of USPM within. While quite unoriginal, playing a style hundreds, if not thousands, of bands tried to make it big on, the song is good for what it is, with yet another great performance from Sosa, this time sounding more like Blackie Lawless. Overall, the demo is good, although "Trouble" isn't something I'd be likely to return to very often. However, it's a demo that should be remembered, rather than discarded with all the mediocre bands who, unlike Overlorde, didn't deserve recognition.