MOUNTAIN OF POWER – Volume Two (reissue 2022)

MOUNTAIN OF POWER is the heavy rocking, hard hitting brainchild of six string supremo Janne Stark – melodic rockers Grand Design, Constancia, Locomotive Breath, et all, as well as writer of The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Hard Rock And Heavy Metal – to pay homage to ’70s guitar-driven classic / hard rock. MOUNTAIN OF POWER’s focuses on cover of songs from Seventies bands – some famous, some not – peppered with heavy riffing and lots of guitar solos.
As requested, here’s “Volume Two“, the volume where Stark has selected the most impressive bands / songs to cover: UFO with SCHENKER, Y&T, BLACKFOOT, TRAPEZE, SAMMY HAGAR, ZZ TOP, PAT TRAVERS, RORY GALLAGHER, and many more.
As usual the guest list kills; JOHN NORUM (EUROPE), TOMMY DENANDER, TY TABOR (KING’S X), RUSTY BURNS (POINT BLANK), THOMAS LARSSON (GLENN HUGHES), CONNY BLOOM (ELECTRIC BOYS), JAY JESSE JOHNSON (ARC ANGEL, CANNATA) and many more on guitar.
Do you need fine vocalists right? Take note: PAUL SHORTINO (ROUGH CUTT / QUIET RIOT), CONNY BLOOM (ELECTRIC BOYS), PONTUS SNIBB (BONAFIDE), CLAS YNGSTROM (SKY HIGH), and more.

From the top, Janne Stark is in full overdrive as he takes on Hagar’s “Urban Guerilla.” The guitar tone is thick and chunky with a solo lead shredding over the rhythm. Cindy Weichman (Nail/Helix) does a superb job with the vocals adding her own style and presence while guest Jay Jesse Johnson (Arc Angel, Cannata) join Stark in radiant solo bursts.
Several tracks amplify the originals as they come alive in the hands of the Swedish master. “Checking It Out / Sister Madness” (Ozz) features Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt, Quiet Riot) and is mind-blowing superb – much heavier than the original and putting great emphasis on open-chord riffing.
Blackfoot’s “I Stand Alone” with Point Blank’s Rusty Burns and Craig Erickson adding guitar, breathes new life into vintage southern rock.

Other tracks were custom built for this extensive and celebrated record. UFO’s “Reasons Love / This Kids” joins Pat Travers’ “Makin’ Magic / Makes No Difference” in an explosive surge of guitar power. That was one of the best double-headline tours of 1977-78. “Indian Dawn / Hellcat” not only tribute Uli Roth, but his idol Jimi Hendrix as does the Mahogany Rush “Talkin’ ‘Bout A Feeling” with John Norum lending six strings of sonic supremacy.

A chain of blues-inspired hard rock swells the disc’s midsection from ZZ Top’s “Bedroom Thang” and Rory Gallagher’s “Bad Penny/Keychain” to the Leslie West Band’s “Money (Whatcha Gonna Do)”, and Y&T’s “Struck Down / 25 Hours a Day.” Singers Clas Yngstrom, Conny Bloom, Kjell Bergendahl, and Mikael Nord Andersen respectively, leave just as big of an impression as the guitar players.

Two surprises caught us off guard because not only are they eclectic, but also they are phenomenally done. Trigger’s “Deadly Weapon” will make you wish you had bought the record the thousand times you passed by it in the bargain bin, and the Resurrection Band’s “Waves” featuring Ty Tabor (King’s X) and Christian Liljegren will save your soul.
Another assassin MOUNTAIN OF POWER album.

01 – URBAN GUERILLA (SAMMY HAGAR)
Guitar – Jay Jesse Johnson, Joe Romagnola
Vocals – Cindy Weichmann

02 – CHECKIN’ IT OUT / SISTER MADNESS (OZZ)
Vocals – Paul Shortino

03 – MAKIN’ MAGIC / MAKES NO DIFFERENCE (PAT TRAVERS)
Guitar – Jay Jesse Johnson
Vocals – Mikael Nord Andersson

04 – REASONS LOVE / THIS KIDS (UFO)
Guitar – Martin J Andersen, Sven Cirnski
Vocals – Martin J Andersen

05 – TALKIN’ ‘BOUT A FEELING (FRANK MARINO)
Guitar – John Norum, Martin J Andersen, Thomas Juneor Andersson
Vocals – Martin J Andersen

06 – MONKEY (TRAPEZE)
Guitar – Greg Martin
Vocals – Jarrod England

07 – BEDROOM THANG (ZZ TOP)
Guitar – Clas Yngström, Mikael Nord Andersson
Vocals – Clas Yngström

08 – DEADLY WEAPON (TRIGGER)
Guitar – Martin J Andersen
Vocals – Martin J Andersen

09 – STRUCK DOWN / 25 HOURS A DAY (Y&T)
Guitar – Joe Romagnola, Mikael Nord Andersson
Vocals – Mikael Nord Andersson
Drums – James Collins

10 – MONEY (WHATCHA GONNA DO) (LESLIE WEST)
Drums – James Collins
Guitar – Kjell Bergendahl
Vocals – Kjell Bergendahl

11 – BAD PENNY / KEYCHAIN (RORY GALLAGHER)
Guitar – Conny Bloom, Mikael Nord Andersson
Vocals – Conny Bloom, Pontus Snibb

12 – WAVES (RESURRECTION BAND)
Drums – James Collins
Guitar – Ty Tabor
Vocals – Christian Liljegren, Maria Rådsten

13 – INDIAN DAWN (ULI ROTH)
Guitar – Sven Cirnski, Thomas Larsson (2)
Vocals – David Fremberg

14 – I STAND ALONE (BLACKFOOT)
Guitar – Craig Erickson, Rusty Burns, Tommy Denander
Vocals – Mattias Osbäck

on all tracks:
Guitars, Bass – Janne Stark
Drums – Peter Svensson

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