Sargant Fury are a German band well versed in the ways of fellow countrymen Pink Cream 69, Vamp, Roko and Bonfire, giving some long overdue credibility.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Sargant Fury
ALBUM: Still Want More
LABEL: WEA Germany
SERIAL: 9031-75188-2
YEAR: 1991
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Germany
LINEUP: Andrew McDermott – vocals * Kai Steffan – guitars * Olaf Grosser – guitars * Bauke De Groot – bass * Heiko Heike – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Still You Want More * 02 No 9 * 03 Mindgames * 04 Love Me * 05 Stand Up * 06 Me * 07 Do You Remember * 08 Love On The Run * 09 Slow n Easy * 10 Just One Night * 11 Losing Control * 12 Don’t You Know
Background
More European hard rock to tempt the taste buds for all you starved supporters out there. Not very well known (only to the die-hard euro-rockers) are Hannover melodic rockers Sargant Fury.
Bringing back to the often mis-represented genre that is European hard rock (particularly the German variety) Sargant Fury are a German band well versed in the ways of fellow countrymen Pink Cream 69, Vamp, Roko and Bonfire, giving some long overdue credibility. You know, there’s something to be said about the German scene, which when listened to from afar, or in many cases heard for the first time, it is easy to spot such a band from a distance.
Well fortunately (or unfortunately in some peoples cases), Sargant Fury are one such band among many. However the familiar road that is travelled by many such bands leads us along a well-honed path, that seems to have been chiseled to perfection over time.
As does American David Reece sing for fellow Germans Pink Cream 69, so too an Englishman in the shape of Andrew McDermott (a.k.a Mac) who sings his arse off on this brilliant album. His voice lies between Craig Csongrady (ex Boss and B.B Steal singer) and DeMont‘s Craig Morrison.. energy and exurbarance rolled up in one.
Ironic that both those singers are Aussies, however the real power is in the guitar stakes, typically dual lead and rhythm which smokes throughout this storming set. Let’s not forget, the focus on melodies which typify bands playing this style. They are somewhere between blistering melodic hard rock, though on their mellower moments, it’s hard not to bring out the AOR comparisons, though in the main, they really are smothered by guitars and then more guitars!
The Songs
The Fury-ious ones drive hard from the opening whistle, ‘Still You Want More’ is as hard as you can get without breakin’ knuckles. Those crunching rhythm guitars and the catch-cry chorus of still you want more.. deliver big time. By the time we get to ‘Stand Up’ that’s exactly what we want to do, a glorious romp of rock that could be Roko meeting De Mont in a boozer up somewhere up in Sydney’s CBD!
Continuing the in-your-face attitude is the stubbornly titled ‘Me’, and the vocal line ‘and I’ll do it my way..’ typifies everything about this album. As per the title, they slow a bit for the slightly gonzofied track ‘Slow N Easy’.
Thoughts of Craaft at their very best echo through on ‘Just One Night’ whilst the pace quickens to PC69 speed on ‘Losing Control’. To end this killer album, the ballad ‘Don’t You Know’ soars majestically with the best of them, bringing back those ‘lighters in the air’ moments that The Scorpions were doing 15 years earlier!
In Summary
The band released three albums, and were unable to break out of the local scene, despite getting rave reviews from overseas critics and fans. Beyond this, Andy McDermott took up the role of lead singer for UK prog/metal band Threshold, was still involved with projects based locally in his home town of Hanover Germany, but passed away in 2011. A good band, and it is recommended that you check out their discography.
Sargant Fury on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
