THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(8-TRACKS)
1-PAIN
2-SYSTEM BREAKDOWN
3-A LITTLE MORE OF EVERYTHING
4-PATHS
5-ON THE OTHER SIDE
6-S.F.R.H
7-MINDSESSION PART I:WHAT WILL YOU BRING ME?)
8-MINDSESSION PART II:FLYING ON WINGS OF STEEL
GRIMMARK-GRIMMARK-2007
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(9-TRACKS)
1-PRAY
2-HOW MANY TIMES
3-HINDING FROM THE SUN
4-FREE
5-RESURRECTION
6-MONKEY MAN
7-SAVE OUR SOULS
8-THE KINGDOM
9-THE NEW SONG
CREDTI:line up:Fro The Album(Grimmark-Grimmark)
Carl Johan Grimmark – Vocals & Guitars
Jan S. Eckert – Bass
Peter Wildoer – Drums
CREDIT:Current line-up(From System Breakdown)
Carljohan Grimmark - Vocals/Guitars (Narnia)(Rob Rock)(Planet Alliance), (Beautiful Sin)(Saviour Machine)(Audiovision)( Flagship)(System Breakdown) (Fires Of Babylon)(Modest Attraction)
CREDIT:Current line-up(From System Breakdown)
Karl Persson - Bass
Ronnie Jaldemark - Keyboards
Andreas Johansson - Drums (Wisdom Call)(Rob Rock)(Narnia)
The band SYSTEM BREAKDOWN features guitarist Carljohan Grimmark, drummer Andreas Johansson and guitartech Ronnie Jaldemark on keyboards from NARNIA. Vocalist of the band is Par Hagstrom fanstastic vocalist in the same vein as Ronnie james Dio and Tony Martin. The bass is handled by Karl Persson. The band is plays heavy music with influnces from bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Sound Garden and also symphonic touches from Genesis. This is a great new band and fans of Narnia and classic hard rock and heavy metal. This is a must!!!Vocalist of the band is Pär Hagström. He is a fanstastic vocalist in the same school as Ronnie James Dio and Tony Martin. The bass is handled by Karl Persson.The band is plays heavy music with influnces from bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and also symphonic touches from Genesis. Of course you can hear Carljohan Grimmark´s trademark as great guitarplayer. This is a great album and fans of NARNIA, ROB ROCK and classic hard rock and heavy metal will love this album.System Breakdown drawing upon influences as diverse as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, King’s X or even Soundgarden to create one of the more unique and creative releases of the year. Grimmark might not cut loose with any of the lengthy guitar runs characteristic of his material with Narnia but in no way does he make his presence felt any less. System Breakdown introduces a darker and moodier side to Grimmark, his playing coming across in a slower and more blues influenced manner while still packing a more than enough punch and power. Lead vocalist Par Hagstrom brings a raspy but melodic tinged vocal style to the project. Displaying a great deal of versatility, he can hit a Dio-like high note with ease or reach down low and add a measure of grit and gravel to his delivery. Drummer Andreas Johansson (Narnia) puts forth one of his finest showings and combines with the steady bass lines of Karl Persson to create a formidable rhythm section. Keyboardist Ronnie Jaldermark adds just the right amount of touch to each song without coming across heavy handed.102 features a good crispsounding production job with sonics allowing all the instrumentation to stand out in the mix. An effective blend of crunchy rhythm guitar and fluid lead guitar stand alongside a super thick and heavy down tuned low end. The substantial bass line at the start of "Pain" gives way to a crisp sounding rhythm guitar. After the rhythm guitar drops from the mix as “Pain” reaches its first verse, it gradually fades back to a place of prominence as the song moves on to a strong powerfully delivered chorus. Over its last half "Pain" slows as keyboards move to the front of the mix and combine with a muffled rhythm guitar sound before ending coldly. “Pain” is aptly named:
The muscular rhythm guitar initiating the slower more mid-tempo paces “System Breakdown” plays a reduced role in the mix during its first verse. Picking up in pace, the rhythm guitar takes a commanding role as the song proceeds to a groove flavored chorus backed by vocal harmonies.The bass guitar opens an instrumental passage culminating with a guitar solo that fades in and gradually gains intensity.Due to a vocal performance from Hagstrom on the abrasive side "A Little More Of Everything" is the albums only track to not always hold up under repeated play. Opening to a drum solo, "A Little More Of Everything" takes off to a fast paced riff that conveys it in hard hitting fashion to a chorus held back buy its overriding repetitious feel.The songs instrumental passage, on the other hand,is a creative thing of beauty: Grimmark's lead guitar work begins quickly before fading out and transitioning to a bass solo overshadowed by ominous sounding keyboards.The rhythm guitar slowly fades back in as the song gainsmomentum.An acoustic guitar slowly carries the haunting ballad "Paths" forward until it transitions to a stylish chorus highlighted by Hagstrom's smooth sounding vocal
delivery. Jaldermark contributes a tastefully done keyboard solo before female vocal harmonies help close out the songs last half. The lyrics “Paths” come across haunting in feel:
"On The Other Side" is the first of two straight tracks on 102 to showcase a huge commercial flavored melody line. A crunchy rhythm guitar propels the song at a mid-tempo pace until it gains momentum and peaks for a catchy chorus that, with repeated listening,will refuse to leave your head.A cacophony of confusing
vocal effects opens an instrumental passage ending to thirty seconds of thealbums best lead guitar work underscored by a punchy bass line.Standing for "Sail - Fly - Run - High", S.F.R.H. embarks to just under a minute of rhythm and lead guitar backed by vocal harmonies. Once the guitar drops from the mix as the song slows for its first verse, S.F.R.H. gradually picks up in pace until the rhythm guitar crashes in and fortifies an infectious chorus with a great catchy hook. Grimmark takes over with a blues flavored guitar solo before the song closes by repeating its excellent chorus one last time."What Will You Bring Me?" begins part one to a sledgehammer heavy doom-like riff that drops from the mix as Hagstrom takes over on lead vocals. Subsequent to the song slowing during its verse portions to a quietly played guitar line, the rhythm guitar returns in a not so subtle manner to drive an aggressive sounding chorus.A prominent mix of bass guitar combined with a quietly played guitar line and keyboards introduces the first 1:20 of "Flying On Wings Of Steel". Following over a minute of bluesy lead guitar work from Grimmark, Hagstrom delivers the songs only line.A combination of rhythm and lead guitar accentuated by keyboards carries the song over its last two minutes.I find the gritty and driving but equally melodic based music of System Breakdown to be a refreshing change of pace. The albums solid production values and creative songwriting only serve to bring out the best in the combined talents of Carl Johan Grimmark and Par Hagstrom. On the other hand, 102 is a bit short in coming in at only 38 minutes, but, as the old saying goes, it is the quality and not necessarily the quantity that counts. And 102 does not disappoint by delivering more than its fair share of quality.
Grimmark delivers a polished melodic metal sound with occasional symphonic or power tendencies. Fans of other Northern European outfits such as Audiovsion, Wingdom and Essence Of Sorrow, for example, will accept this with open arms as will those into Shining Star, Rob Rock, Magnitude 9 and Impellitteri. If you are a child of the eighties, and Stryper, Dokken, Bloodgood and Holy Soldier happen to be your cup of tea,then I can see you getting into Grimmark as well.The previously referenced Narnia influence can best be found in several of the albums slower pieces such as the Long Live The King-ish “Hiding From The Sun” or “The Kingdom” (this one sounds like an outtake from Enter The Gate). But it is on guitar driven romps such as “Free” and “Monkey Man” (two of the heavier pieces here) or the up-tempo “Pray” and Essence Of Sorrow-like “How Many Times” in which Carl takes that “break from his past” in question. These four, with their relentless fast pace and guitar driven initiative, to be quite honest, do not always invite comparison to anything Carl has put together in the past (with “Judgement Day” from The Great Fall being the possible lone exception)- something I cannot help but commend the artist. Other quality numbers worth noting include
“Resurrection” and “Save Our Souls” (I can see Rob Rock performing this one), two classy hard rockers which serve to reinforce the albums strengths in the areas of consistency and continuity.So what is there not to like here? Why, for instance, does Grimmark – despite its front to back musical excellence – receive a grade of “just” 85%? Well, to be quite honest, the issue does not necessarily revolve around one of quality but rather of quantity. Quantity? The album, for example, is a bit on the short side in featuring only eight full length songs and one instrumental- a particular I find to be a bit disappointing. Now, I understand that songs do not grow on trees; however, am I being unrealistic to expect a bit more here? If quality material happened to be in short supply, for instance, then perhaps the artist could have come up with a cover or two (one thing Carl’s band mate in Narnia,Vocalist Christian Rivel, has done with Divinefire and Audiovision)And while we are on the subject, it is also a letdown that Grimmark includes just one instrumental (and a short one at that in the 2:55 “The New Song”)I full expected at least two full length instrumental pieces here – similar to what Narnia delivered on Desert Land. This IS a solo album by a lead guitar by the way.One of the legitimate surprises (and a very pleasant one at that!) to the project has to be the strength of Carl’s lead vocal abilities. In a world in which many – if not most – talented lead guitarist either cannot (or choose not to) sing, the artist proves quite the refreshing exception to the rule with his clean sounding vocal delivering hinting at an occasional element of grit. No, the talent here is not quite on par with, let’s say, Rob Rock or Corey Brown (Magnitude 9) but Carl more than holds his own in fully complementing the quality material here.It is on lead guitar, of course, the artist truly shines. A world class musician deservedly ranking with the best guitarists imbuing the current metal scene, his abundant playing – benefited by the polished feel to the albums production – stands out best on “Pray”, “Hiding From The Sun” and “Monkey Man”. If you are interested in a bluesy flavor to his soloing abilities, then look no further than “Resurrection” and “Free”. The instrumental “The New Song”, at the same time, is another track worth checking out.Carl has surrounded himself with some very capable musicians as well, including Masterplan bassist Jan S. Eckert and drummer Peter Wildoer (Darkane).Beginning to several seconds of open air rhythm guitar before abruptly kicking in to high gear, “Pray” settles down for its first verse only to regain the guitar driven initiative on the way to a melodic based chorus highlighted by keyboards. Carl’s lengthy stretch of expert lead guitar stands out fluidly in the mix. What we have here is as aptly titled song as you will ever find:
The vocal harmonies at the start of “How Many Times” transition to a hard rocking blend of rhythm guitar and keyboards. Maintaining the rollicking momentum during its smoothly flowing verse portions, the song culminates for a chorus in which a deep and resonant setting is put into place. “How Many Times” is a relevant question:.The pace slows down for the mid-tempo sounds of “Hiding From The Sun”. A forward surge of rhythm guitar introduces the song, gradually leading the way in tempered fashion until a commanding chorus of an energetic variety is procured. Carl tears it up with another stretch of ardently played lead work. As a result of its laid back feel, “Hiding From The Sun” would not sound out of place on Narnia’s Long Live The King. “Free”, on the other hand, ranks with the albums heavier and more aggressive pieces. The song immediately takes off to a snarling blend of rhythm guitar and double bass, the combative environment upheld during its driving verse portions in addition The polished hard rock of “Resurrection” brings to mind Shining Star’s Enter Eternity. The song plows its way forward from the start to a grinding rhythm guitar, a slight hint of keyboards decorating the sublime backdrop as the way is paved for a chorus advancing at a hook driven upbeat tempo. The lead guitar work here gives rise to a more laid back feel – again, almost bluesy – this time around. “Resurrection” focuses on making a positive change in life:o a symphonic based chorus talking about what it truly means to be “free” And The refined keyboard solo at the start of “Monkey Man” soon gives way to a hard hitting guitar riff. Pushing itself ahead with the rhythm guitar placed forwardly in the mix, the song transitions through the occasional quieter passage before reaching a catchy chorus backed by a cascade of pounding drums. Carl adorns the scene with a fast fingered run of lead guitar work. “Monkey Man” takes an apologetic look at the theory of evolution,Also opening to a keyboard solo, “Save Our Souls” slowly maneuvers through its first verse with the rhythm guitar slamming in and out of the mix. The pace does not pick up, however, until the achievement of the emphatically tinctured chorus that follows. Judgementalism is the subject matter here.The symphonic flavorings of “The Kingdom” reminds me of the Enter The Gate track “The Man From Nazareth”. The heavy duty rhythm guitar initiating the song fades from the mix just prior to its first verse. Wafting ahead as keyboards gracefully adorn the background, “The Kingdom” gains impetus as the rhythm guitar steps forward to underscore a sweeping chorus standing out as a result of the sublime feel to its delivery. “The Kingdom” comes across as a song of victory.Grimmark closes with an instrumental entitled “The New Song” that, while very well done, is on the short side of things in coming in at only 2:55. Of course, the albums crystal clear production highlights Carl’s radiant and at times bluesy lead work that decorates the full length of the song. In the end, I cannot help but think there could have been a few more instrumental pieces like this here(http://www.holymetalrob.com/)
