FREAKSHOW – A Reason Worth Dying For: The 1993 Demo Session [Norske Albumklassikere remastered] (2024) HQ

When the Rock Of Norway staff was doing research info for the recently released CD compilation ‘Rock Of Norway Presents Melodic Hard Rock and AOR, Volume 2 – rare singles’, they stumbled upon a full page article from the paper published in 1993. Former members of the bands Frenzy, Seventh Seal and Eternity had formed a new group called FREAKSHOW, and the band’s sound was ‘melodic heavy rock similar to that of the band Europe’, journalist Hege Baukstø reckoned.
With his curiosity tickled and a sudden Freakshow-sized hole in the Rock Of Norway extensive music collection, they set out to find out the professionally recorded 9-song demo FREAKSHOW released on cassette, which was available for purchase in their city Kristiansand local record stores.
Now these recordings are being released “A Reason Worth Dying For – The 1993 Demo Session“, restored / remastered with a very good sound quality.
FREAKSHOW played melodic hard rock and AOR with that Scandinavian classic sound, and it is easily one of the best obscure finds Rock Of Norway has ever made. Musically these songs are in the vein of Europe, Da Vinci, TNT – quality material to discover.

Freakshow formed in Kristiansand in 1992 by former members from the groups Frenzy, Eternity and Seventh Seal. Within about half a year, the band had found its final line-up with Erik Bjorvand (vocals), Robert Wilhelmsen (guitar), Bernt Moen (keyboards), Per Elias Drabløs (bass) and Mike Moen (drums), and in January 1993 the band in the studio to record their own material at Agder Lydproduksjon in Arendal.
The resulting nine songs were released on cassette, which was available for purchase in local record stores. Freakshow eventually also went to London to market themselves with this demo, but were not caught by the record companies.
Shortly after a last concert in their hometown in June of the same year, Bernt and Mike Moen quit to further their education in music in the USA, and the group disbanded.

Freakshow were very good. The band played energetic and well-arranged tunes from melodious hard rock via AOR to power ballads and even atouch of progressive, always with catchy melodies at the fore. The master tape is, as usual, handled with silk gloves by Giert Clausen at Fersk Lyd.
This Rock Of Norway release via C+C Records includes four bonus songs captures live, a band biography written by Yngve Moum Jacobsen (HeavyMetal.no), as well as lyrics and band photos.
Highly Recommended

01 – Red Hot Love
02 – Be As One
03 – A Reason Worth Dying For
04 – By Your Side
05 – A Place In Your Heart
06 – Sex Machine
07 – Reach Out
08 – Judgement Day
09 – Sweet Talking
BONUS TRACKS:
10 – You Should Have Known Girl (Live)
11 – To Hell And Back (Live)
12 – How Long (Live)
13 – Let’s Make It Happen (Live)

Erik Bjorvand (vocals)
Robert Wilhelmsen (guitar)
Bernt Moen (keyboards)
Per Elias Drabløs (bass)
Mike Moen (drums)

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