Forgotten Gems-Highlight-A night at Valhalla

Hailing from Sweden Highlight were a trio of brothers. These Leufvenius brothers knocked out two demos in the 80's. This was the first one and it was from 1983. Keep in mind that this is a very much an early 80's demo as the production is very raw. There's also a spontaneous feel to the playing that makes it sound fresh. They were obviously big fans of Judas Priest and vocalist bassist Magnus Leufvenius has a very Rob Halford style voice which is a definite plus. They also have some NWOBHM influences mixed in as well. For instance the second half of "Pilgrim" will give you an example of what it might have sounded like had Rob Halford fronted Maiden in 1980. Most of their tracks start out with simple patterns and then heat up with the best bits coming in during the solos. I think they did an admirable job of being both heavy and melodic and they always seem sure of their direction. Lyrically they are all about vikings, warriors and battle. Lyrics might be their weakest trait, but the music and vocals makes up for it. They have a lot going for them for a first demo. You can hear the potential in all of these four tracks. I have yet to hear their second demo that was made just a one year later, but "A night at Valhalla" is a great example of powerful early 80's classic style metal. You can find this one easy enough online to download. Worth checking out for sure.