KARO – Heavy Birthday III [unreleased tapes] (2018)

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: ‘Heavy Birthday II’ released at the very end of 2017, and this “Heavy Birthday III“ few days ago.

This is an unexpected surprise, as all material here is 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 40 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 care when the material on offer is sooo good.
“Heavy Birthday III” 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.

And the songs… from this “Heavy Birthday III” are equally good to the 1988 album or the ones also resurrected in ‘Heavy Birthday II’.
Here you’ll find some monster stuff such as the magnificent ‘Joyride’, plenty of parping synths, pumping bass lines, epic vocals and melodic vocals. Think WHITE SISTER, yes, that good, and this song alone worth the album.

‘Lost In The Crowd’ is a great ballad with piercing vocals which works greatly with the nature of the song; a slow tune but heavy.
With ‘Walking On Ice’ try something more poppy in a DOMINOE light AOR vein (love it), the LOVERBOY-like ‘Hit And Run’ never ended into an ’80s movie soundtrack – but shoulda, while ‘Bad Things Come Back’ is another synth-heavy pure Eighties anthem with a British feel (early SHY, PEROUX).

Last song on this album is the delicious midtempo AOR tune properly titled ‘Saying Goodbye’, because here ends all the KARO recordings from the ’80s.
Two volumes, ‘Heavy Birthday II and III’, released by the band to and for the fans. Blow the last ‘III’ candles on the album artwork, and enjoy the party.

As I said in the other volume post, KARO’s “Heavy Birthday III” is one of the surprises of the year, and for this humble writer, ‘THE’ previously unreleased album unearthed this year, the most essential material you need to discover RIGHT NOW.
It’s not 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

01 – Coz I’m Hot
02 – Joyride
03 – Lost In The Crowd
04 – Walking On Ice
05 – Hit And Run
06 – White Monkey
07 – Slow Dancing
08 – Metal Hero
09 – Bad Things Come Back
10 – Watch Out
11 – Up And Down
12 – Saying Goodbye

personnel not listed

BUY IT
www.amazon.de/dp/B07K26QCXJ