Alongside Finland, Sweden has the greatest density of heavy metal in the world.
Ever since Silver Mountain’s first single in 1978, the land of ice and snow has echoed with the sound of the almighty riff played to the highest standard.
With an arsenal mined from the mountains of Priest and Maiden, Ram are unapologetically heavy metal in the finest studded-leather, headbanging sense. Rather than stripy shirt-clad re-enactment, Svbversvm is very much forward-looking. Although they kick off with Return Of The Iron Tyrant, which tales its cues from Priest’s Painkiller and Sanctuary, Ram, like their countrymen Wolf, utilise a modern production but still keep the fire of 80s metal burning. Holy Death has an Accept-like stomp and a verse vocal that Ghost would be proud of.
The Omega Device could hold its own on any 80s Priest album and *Forbidden Zone *is as good a metal anthem as you will hear in 2015. If there is any justice this will be Ram’s breakthrough album.
