KARO – Heavy Birthday II [unreleased tapes] (2017)

We presented here KARO’s “Heavy Birthday [digitally remastered +2 bonus]”, originally released in 1988, the German band one and only album… until now. Yes, founder member Karo Straub has unearthed all KARO previously unreleased recordings to create two new albums: this “Heavy Birthday II“ released at the very end of 2017, and “Heavy Birthday III” few days ago.

This is an unexpected surprise, as all material / songs here are pure ’80s Melodic Hard Rock winners with driving guitars, bombastic keys, clean and powerful vocals and of course, that unrepeatable, magical ‘into-the-studio analog tape atmosphere’ so hard to replicate nowadays.

There’s no much info about these recording sessions, but I remember an interview / showcase from a magazine back in the day (Kerrang maybe?) where the band talked about 30 songs demoed for the first album – which will be ended KARO’s only one.
Personnel is not listed either, but I guess it’s the same line up from the official album.

Anyway, who cares when the material on offer is sooo good.
“Heavy Birthday II” is a lost ’80s AOR gem now fortunately resurrected for all fans rejoice.
The sound quality varies, but range from excellent pre-production takes to very good demos, stereo, no scratchs, etc.
Overall, very very good quality.

And the songs… from this “Heavy Birthday II” I particularly love the great punch of ‘Fast Talk Bright Lights’ (ala BONFIRE), the hymn ‘Breakout’ (think FATE), the awesome keyboard-driven ‘Take Me Higher’ (reminds me of SHY), or the rocking ‘Dancing On My Finger’.

ALL are wonderful songs, but the likes of ‘All The Way’ and ‘Turned The Trick’ – both fan-damn-tastic Scandinavian influenced and similar to EUROPE’s Out Of This World era – make this release alone an instant MUST HAVE.
Oh, and I forgot to mention the terrific ‘action movie feel’ of ‘Burning Alive’… what a KILLERRRR Melodic Rock AOR tune with stabbing keys and biting guitars.

KARO’s “Heavy Birthday II” is one of the surprises of the year, and for this humble writer, ‘THE’ previously unreleased album unearthed this year, the most essential unheard material you need to discover RIGHT NOW.
It’s not out compiled by a specialized reissue label, but thanks to KARO’s members – so BIG thanks guys – for an ’80s sucker and collector like me, you not only ‘make my day’, but a month and the year.
A MUST HAVE

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox


01 – Fast Talk Bright Lights
02 – Breakout
03 – Take Me Higher
04 – All The Way
05 – Don’t You Turn Me Back
06 – Blind Love
07 – Turned The Trick
08 – Deceiver
09 – Dancing On My Finger
10 – Burning Alive
11 – The Only Game
12 – Still Hate To Loose (Guitar Version)

Personnel not listed

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