The Ram Sudden Impact

425gsm heavy cardboard cover, insert, ltd 300, reissue 2024, When RAM formed in the city of Gothenburg in 1999, they soon led the new Scandinavian metal attack (along with bands like Portrait and In Solitude). Often compared to a younger, more forceful version of Judas Priest, Oscar Carlquist (lead vocals), Daniel Johannson (guitars), Harry Granroth (guitars), Leif Larsson (bass) and Morgan Petterson (drums) debuted in 2003 with their six-track mini-album »Sudden Impact«, originally released on CD via Black Path Metal. High Roller Records is proud to announce a vinyl re-issue of »Sudden Impact« consisting of the title track, "Judgement And Punishment", "Machine Invaders", "Blessed To Be Cursed", "Infuriator" and "Black Path". Although not as refined as later albums such as »Forced Entry« (2005), »Lightbringer« (2008), »Death« (2012) or their latest offering »The Throne Within« issued via Metal Blade Records in 2019, »Sudden Impact« definitely turned a few heads when it came out in 2003, at a time when traditional heavy metal was still dominated by the old guard of the genre. The unbridled energy and youthful exuberance of the presentation turned RAM into a force to be reckoned with almost immediately and showed what heavy metal has always been about: pride, passion and power. RAM have in the past often been described as "prototypical Swedish metal", and singer Oscar Carlquist does not beg to differ: "I would say that there is a unique Scandinavian Metal style to a certain extent, and Swedish musicians are often very talented. They also, at least in the eighties, had some neoclassical influences (probably from Yngwie Malmsteen). Swedish vocalists also often have very clean voices. I can spot the Swedish sound when I hear the vocals."»Sudden Impact« has not been available for some time (there was a limited tenth anniversary vinyl re-issue in 2013), so the current re-release will give the broader public a new chance to study the roots of one of the most important traditional heavy metal bands of the past 20 years. MATTHIAS MADER