KATMANDU (Dave King of Fastway) – Katmandü [Japan Edition] Out Of Print

With the second Fastway album recently posted here in remastered form, one of you asked whatever happened with awesome singer Dave King after leaving the band. Well, Dave has been the vocalist for the punky / Irish Celtic sounding band Flogging Molly for more than 20 years and released their sixth studio album in 2017. But related to the musical style we love from him, after Fastway he formed KATMANDU at the end of the Eighties alongside guitarist Mandy Meyer (ex Krokus and later Asia & Gotthard).
Signed by major label Epic the short-lived band released their only album “Katmandü”, a great slice of bluesy, soulful rocking tunes. This Japanese edition is far superior in terms of sound quality, a very hard to find CD pressing.

Produced by John Purdell (Quiet Riot, Foreigner, Heart), “Katmandü” opens with the dynamic “The Way You Make Me Feel”, delivering a cool interplay between the classic amped guitars and King’s bluesy yet rocking pipes.
On track number two the band takes some risks covering U2’s song “God Part II”, the results being great cracking it much more rocking and King’s performance bringing to mind Jack Russell (Great White).

More melodic oriented we find “Love Hurts” (not the Nazareth classic song) a cool sweet rocker, followed by “Sometimes Again” and its southern feeling but with power ballad sound.
“When The Rain Comes” rocks in mid-tempo pace with steady drums, deep bass, solid riffs and pristine vocals, then Katmandu shows their acoustic side with the road song “Heart & Soul” where, of course, Dave King shine.

“Ready For The Common Man” stars with a vocals arrangement but soon explodes with potent riffs and a style that due King’s pipes, recall Fastway. One of my favorites.
“Only The Good Die Young” is another winner, rocking bluesy n’ groovy with a stadium-ready feeling, while “Medicine Man” isn’t far away with its catchy chorus.
We find another ballad in “Let The Heartache Begin”, that kind of smokin’ tunes that despite being slow rocks from the heart with a clear ’80s inspiration.

“Katmandü” is a very strong album, rocking at places and sweet melodic at others, with that classic hard rock feel all over with a bluesy foundation and a star vocalist.
Production is pristine clear, and as said, this Japanese edition (appeared a year after, 1991) blows out of the water the original and pretty flat CD release.
Highly Recommended

01 – The Way You Make Me Feel
02 – God Part II
03 – Love Hurts
04 – Sometime Again
05 – When The Rain Comes
06 – Heart & Soul
07 – Ready For The Common Man
08 – Only The Good Die Young
09 – Let The Heartache Begin
10 – Medicine Man
11 – Pull Together
12 – Warzone

Vocals – Dave King (Fastway)
Guitar – Mandy Meyer (Gotthard, Krokus)
Bass – Caine Carruthers
Drums – Mike Alonso (Electric Six, Flogging Molly)

Out Of Print