Various Artists – Tribute to ABBA
Tribute albums are a dime a dozen these days. They all have the same goal: get the names of lesser known bands out to music fans by covering songs of a better known band. It stands to reason then that all these albums have the same fault as well; none of the bands on these albums are as good as the bands they are covering. Everytime I skim the track listing of these tribute discs I always ask the same question — who ARE these people? These discs do nothing but make me want to listen to the original versions of the songs.
Leave it to me to want something original. A Tribute To ABBA by Nuclear Blast is just that — metal bands covering ABBA tunes. At least they solved the problem with me wanting to listen to the original versions.
I personally bought a guitar after hearing Motley Crue and Metallica. I can’t imagine anyone out there, especially musicians from established bands, publicly state that ABBA made them want to do ANYTHING music related, except jab drumsticks in their ears perhaps. And yet, the product is exactly as advertised — fourteen power metal bands taking a stab at some of ABBA’s “greatest” hits.
Sinergy’s “Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie!” is probably the most entertaining song on the disc. Listening to the guys beg repeatedly for “a man after midnight” never gets old. Other songs you may know include Rough Silk’s industrial version of “Take a Chance On Me” and Glow’s punkish interpretation of “Dancing Queen”. I can’t really say that I know any of the other songs.
The biggest problem here is that fans of any of these bands are probably not fans of ABBA, and vice versa — and you have to guess, neither are these bands. I’m sure it’s a rough day in any band’s career when they agree to appear on an ABBA tribute album. Maybe I’m wrong and there’s a whole movement of headbangers out there who are also closet ABBA fans, but sorry guys; I’m not one of them. If mixing power metal and ABBA sounds like a fun Saturday night then this was specially made just for you.
Tracks
01. Summer Night City — Therion
02. Thank You For The Music — Metalium
03. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! — Sinergy
04. Money, Money, Money — At Vance
05. Voulez-Vous — Morgana Lefay
06. S.O.S. — Paradox
07. Take A Chance On Me — Rough Silk
08. Chiquitita — Spiral Tower
09. Eagle — Sargant Fury
10. One Of Us — Flowing Tears
11. Waterloo — Nation
12. Super Trouper — Custard
13. Knowing Me, Knowing You — Tad Morose
14. Dancing Queen — Glow