EMERGENCY (Dutch) - Martial Law (1989)

After the last post (Swiss band Emergency) a long-time reader of this blog and connoisseur Mr. Bohond suggested to present here as well the other EMERGENCY, a Dutch act, and their sole album "Martial Law" released in 1989.
Long time out of print, "Martial Law" is a collector's item, and thanks to him we have it here in all its glory (I never seen this CD in the blogosphere ripped at maximum quality) complete with all scans.



With an impeccable production by Erwin Musper (Danger Danger, Craaft, Zinatra), these guys recorded a lovable bunch of Melodic Hard Rock / Scandi AOR sounding tunes here.
You can't go wrong with keyboard-driven numbers like "Upside Down", "Maybe It's Love", "Hiding In The Shadow" or the midtempo "Across The Desert Sands", all rich in high quality harmonies, killer guitar/key interplay and soaring lead vocals by Pete Lovell (which is British-born btw).

But what made this band different from the rest in this profusely transited genre is the distinctive drumming of Hedwig Spijkers; his singular fills, pattern changes and use of cymbals are quite original, giving to the band's sound an extra plus. Just listen "All Runnin' Wild".
There's more straight Euro melodic hard rockers in "Reaching Out", "Dangerous", "Running Out Of Miracles" - the latter reminding me British wonders After Hours - and a couple of great ballads; "Please, Say Please Me" (akin Giuffria), and the extremely melodic "Just One Precious Moment".

"Martial Law" is one of those albums reaffirming that the eighties 'feeling' is unrepeatable.
A winner.


01 - Hiding In The Shadow
02 - All Runnin' Wild
03 - Reaching Out
04 - Please, Say Please Me
05 - Maybe It's Love
06 - Across The Desert Sands
07 - Running Out Of Miracles
08 - Upside Down
09 - Just One Precious Moment
10 - Dangerous

Vocals – Pete Lovell
Guitar, Vocals – Frans Limonard
Keyboards – Coen Van Hoof
Bass – Jos Antonissen
Drums – Hedwig Spijkers






EMERGENCY Martial Law
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