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Review: OZ - III Warning
OZ
www.ozofficial.com
III Warning

Label: Lipposen Levy Ja Kasetti
Year released: 2021
Originally released in: 1984
Duration: 33:45
Tracks: 8
Genre: Heavy Metal

Rating:
3.75/5


Review online: October 28, 2021
Reviewed by: Luxi Lahtinen
Readers' Rating
How do you rate this release?

Rated 3.88/5 (77.5%) (8 Votes)
Review

After an unimpressive debut, OZ took the Metal world by storm with their sophomore album Fire in the Brain, getting very positive coverage in Metal magazines everywhere and even a promised tour with Slayer and Venom to capitalize on the newfound fame (that never happened, sadly. Thanks, Combat Records). People were definitely looking forward to the next album, everyone hoping that it would match its predecessor in quality and style. It didn't, but it's still a solid album.

In some ways, the aptly titled III Warning is what you'd expect from OZ, as it's a heavily NWOBHM influenced slice of old-school Metal given life with the distinctive voice of Ape De MArtini and the quality musicianship of everyone else. You even get some killer songs with "Third Warning," "Crucified" and "Samurai", with the latter letting Jay C. Blade's excellent bass playing take the spotlight. Sadly, the rest of the album suffers from being softer and more commercially minded than Fire in the Brain, being less raw and violent as a result. This is especially noticeable on "Rock 'n' Roll Widows", which sounds like it was made by some other, much lamer band with its easy-going style and an awful chorus that gets repeated way too much.

That all reads very negatively, but mostly this album suffers in comparison to what came before it. At the end of the day, III Warning is an enjoyable album from the good old days that any Metal fan will find some enjoyment out of. Just don't go expecting another Fire in the Brain, because it's not.

More about OZ...
Review: ...Decibel Storm... (reviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
Review: Burning Leather (reviewed by MetalMike)
Review: Burning Leather (reviewed by Michel Renaud)
Review: Fire in the Brain (reviewed by MetalMike)
Review: Forced Commandments (reviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
Review: Forced Commandments (reviewed by MetalMike)
Review: Forced Commandments (reviewed by Michel Renaud)
Review: Roll the Dice (reviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
Review: The OZ (reviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
Review: Transition State (reviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
Review: Transition State (reviewed by MetalMike)
Interview with Mark Ruffneck (drums) on October 2, 2011 (Interviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
Interview with vocalist Ape De Martini and drummer Mark Ruffneck on September 19, 2012 (Interviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
Interview with drummer Mark Ruffneck on January 17, 2014 (Interviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
Interview with vocalist Ape De Martini, guitarists Juzzy and Johnny, bassist Peppi and drummer Mark Ruffneck on March 26, 2016 (Interviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
Interview with drummer Mark Ruffneck on December 13, 2017 (Interviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
Interview with drummer Mark Ruffneck on September 30, 2018 (Interviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
Interview with drummer Mark Ruffneck on March 22, 2020 (Interviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
Interview with drummer Mark Ruffneck on December 21, 2023 (Interviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)
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