Silverdollar
EP

November 2007
Released: 2006, n/a
Rating: 2.0/5
Reviewer: Anders Sandvall

Here we have an EP released by the new Swedish group Silverdollar. They’re about to release their second album called EVIL NEVER SLEEPS. The debut album included covers but the new one only contains new material from what I understand. Silverdollar have been active for a decade and have played over 400 shows throughout Scandinavia, which is kind of strange because I haven’t seen them or heard of them playing anywhere near me at all. Silverdollar plays well-executed 80’s-influenced melodic heavy metal, but I think they could’ve put a little more feeling and work into the material. The music has some similarities with Ozzy and the band uses a lot of keyboards in the mix this time. Here and there I sense sloppiness in the way the musicians handles their instruments; sometimes it feels like the music becomes routine and lacks heart and soul.

“Unleashed Hell” has a nice opening and sounds like a faster melodic heavy metal track. It has a lot of tempo changes and variations and lead-singer Englund dominates the mix. Right below him lays guitarist Berg and adds his heaviness to the song. The tempo slows down remarkably in “Neurotic Eyes”; it borders on being an up-tempo ballad with a lot of keyboards involved. I think it’s obvious that Englund has some problems with his voice which you can hear really clearly in this song. Berg has problems with very thin guitar sounds as well, so this song is not gonna be listed to very much. Last on the EP we have the 80’s melodic heavy metal track “Rising Son” which is a power metal song in mid-tempo. Nice drumming with double bass played by Hjerp, but again Englund drags the song down with his weak voice.

The production feels low-budget and it has a certain rehearsal-room feeling to it. They really need to record their stuff in a proper studio, that’s for sure. The guitar has a really thin sound and the drums sounds like coffee cans. The production lacks power and aggression and that is something they have to add in order to get the heavy feeling this kind of music needs to have.

To be honest, I expected much more from Silverdollar this time; they have to shape up. The band is gonna have some serious problems if the album sounds anything like this EP. Even though I really want to give this EP a high rating, I can’t - it’s just not working for me.

A killer track is the least weak song “Unleashed Hell”.