XT
Sweden
Christian metal
Discography
* 1992 - XT (Viva)
* 1993 - Taxfree
* 1995 - Extended Empire
Band:
- Bjorn Stiggson - guitar
- Sonny Larson - vocalist
- Hakan Andersson - bass (-1993)
- P-O Larsson - bass (1993 - 1995)
- John Stark - bass (1995+)
- Michael Ulvsgärd - drums (-1993)
- Mike Nordstrom - drums (1993 - 1995)
- Kjell Andersson - drums (1995+)
- Nicklas Jonsson - keyboard (1993+)
XT was a metal band from Sweden. It was formed by Bjorn Stiggson and Sonny Larson in 1991, following the breakup of Stiggson's earlier band Leviticus.
The band, whose name means "Christ" released three albums before their breakup in 1995. They became better known in Japan than either Europe or the United States.
Prior to forming XT, Sonny Larson had been involved in a few other Swedish metal bands as lead vocalist. While in Motherlode (1983 - 1987) he worked with Mark Stanway, who was later in the British melodic rock band Magnum. Motherlode released one album, Sanctuary, in 1986. Following Motherlode, he joined Charizma and stayed with them until 1988.
Beyond Leviticus and XT, Stigsson also released a solo project in 1986 called Together With Friends.
wikipedia
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Guitarist Bjorn Stigsson has without a doubt been around the block. Getting his start in the early eighties when he joined forces with brothers Kjell (drums) and Hakan Andersson (lead vocals/bass) to form the Swedish metal outfit Leviticus, he contributed the songwriting to the bands 1984 hard rocking debut I Shall Conquer in addition to its 1985 sophomore effort The Strongest Power. After Hakan departed the band following the release of TSP, Stigsson recruited bass guitarist virtuoso Ez Gomer and an equally talented vocalist by the name of Terry H. prior to recording the melodic metal of Leviticus’ finest album to date in Setting Fire To The Earth. When Ez and Terry H. left the group to form Jet Circus, lead vocalist Peo Pettersson was brought into the fold for the bands fourth and final outing Knights Of Heaven, a 1989 melodic rock based effort that fell a bit short of the mark due to the overly polished feel to its production. Stigsson also released his first and only solo album the same year under the title Together With Friends, a moniker that proved more than fitting as a result of the number of artists that made guest appearances on it, including a talented vocalist by the name of Sonny Larsson (Motherlode). The partnership between Stigsson and Larsson in time led to the formation of an exciting new group called XT. While XT did not release its self-titled debut until 1992 – a more pop rock based effort that was heavily influenced by Knights Of Heaven – the band came into its own a year later when it recorded the catchy melodic hard rock of its sophomore album Taxfree.
Finally, in 1995 XT put it all together when the band recorded its most guitar driven effort to date in Extended Empire. "Guitar driven”, nonetheless, are the two key words here in that it proves by far and away the heaviest project Stigsson has been associated with. While straightforward heavy metal might be the correct term to describe the music here, the album reflects influences as diverse as melodic metal ("I Want Love”), power metal ("Five Minutes To Midnight”) and even some progressive tendencies as well ("On The Run”). Nothing less than an accomplished musician, Stigsson puts forth one of the finest showings of his career, laying down a monster rhythm guitar sound in addition to furnishing a plethora of skillfully done lead guitar work. Larsson, who got his start with the secular melodic hard rock outfit Motherlode on its 1986 debut The Sanctuary, puts forth a versatile performance with his high pitched vocal style but adds an element of grit and gravel to his vocal delivery on "Can’t Live Without You” and "On The Run”. Long term Leviticus drummer Kjell Andersson puts forth his trademark strong showing and rounds out the rhythm section with bassist Johan Stark. Niklas Johnsson adds just the right amount of touch on keyboards.
Production
values are quite strong, adding just the right amount of big
budget-like polish but not enough to take away from the bands all out
raw energy.
Please note that Extended Empire,
which was not originally licensed for distribution outside of Europe,
was recently re-issued by Rivel Records but as a limited edition
pressing of only 300 copies.
"Warning” is a minute long album opener carried by a blend of narration and bizarre sound effects.
The
power metal of "Five Minutes To Midnight” begins to sweeping
synthesizers that transition to a driving guitar riff and a snarl from
Larsson. Advancing through its first verse at a powerful mid-tempo
pace, a melodic environment is put in place as the song attains a
catchy chorus backed by just the right amount of edgy rhythm guitar.
Stigsson steps forward with a minute of verdant lead guitar work.
"Five Minutes To Midnight” is written from the standpoint of a guy
switching channels with his remote control and seeing all the war and
violence on TV:
My TV screen is showing me
The wars of today
Brothers killing brothers
they’re paying with their lives
Broadcasting live from the battleground on the news
I wonder where we are going to
Five minutes to midnight…
Immediately
kicking in fast and heavy, a huge crunch flavored riff drives "Billy
The Raver” forward in authoritative fashion until it reaches a smoothly
flowing chorus in which Larsson cuts loose and displays the full range
of his voice. Several seconds of fast paced lead guitar work is
blended with a forward mix of rhythm guitar.
The
acoustic guitar at the start of "Kids On A Hill” slowly holds sway over
its first verse. Picking up in pace, a near perfect blend of rhythm
guitar and organ takes over and leads the song to a very fine up-tempo
chorus highlighted by periodic vocal harmonies.
"I’m
Not Alone” opens to a few brief seconds of backward masking that gives
way to a slowly moving and almost doom-like riff. Plodding through its
first verse at an ominous and driving pace, "I’m Not Alone” evenly
flows to a dragging chorus that closes to the sound of more backward
masking. Stigsson stylish lead guitar work helps carry a nice
extensive instrumental section.
The three
minute "I Want Love” proves a nice upbeat change of pace. The song
takes off in a quickly moving manner as a driving riff underscored by
double bass shores up its first verse, the momentum gained quickly
pushing it to a near mesmerizing chorus carried by a trade off between
Larsson and the bands polished vocal harmonies.
The
deep sounding background vocals introducing "The Battle” come across
heavy handed if not outright cheesy. As the song moves forward to a
slicing rhythm guitar, Larsson trades off between slinging in a lower
key and his trademark high pitched style before an operatic choir of
voices stands in support of its sweeping melodic flavored chorus. "The
Battle” talks about the classic struggle between good and evil:
It’s a battle between my mind and heart
I can feel my heart is bleeding
I don’t know why you tear me apart
You tell me to kneel before You
Come to me…set me free.
"On
The Run” is a terrific progressive influenced hard rocker. The song
proceeds through its verse portions by transitioning between passages
carried by a pounding riff blended with keyboards and others that move
at a slower pace to a quietly played guitar line. Following an
extensive instrumental section, "On The Run” closes out its final
minute by continually repeating a very stylish chorus with a catchy
refuse to go away hook. "On The Run” comes across in the form of a
plea for the children of the world:
No one seems to care about me
a lonely kid on the street
can’t you see me running around
with no shoes on my feet
I have to steal just to survive
I need love to keep me alive
waiting for a helping hand
The
fast paced and raucous "XT Land”, unfortunately, does not quite make
the grade. Getting started to the sound of a cheering audience, the
song launches into a fast paced riff that pushes it at breakneck speed
to a chorus failing to hold up due to its overly polished and
superfluous feel. Stigsson adds a distorted over-the-top guitar solo
but it is not enough to put things over the top.
A
monster of a riff accentuated by a forward but complementary mix of
keyboards gets "Can’t Live Without You” underway. As the song
progresses through its first verse, Larsson sings in a gritty and
gravelly manner that can border on the abrasive, the brief but
forcefully delivered chorus that follows carried in the same way by his
scratchy delivery.
"Castles In The Sky”
starts to a quick drum solo before immediately launching into a melodic
based chorus as keyboards repeatedly flow between the left and right
channel. Advancing through its verse portions in good hard rocking
fashion, the song culminates for an instrumental passage carried by
Stigsson’s grit-flavored lead guitar work.
"Airport” is an eight second interlude featuring the voices of Bjorn and Sonny.
"Deborah And Barak”, a reworked version of a song that originally appeared on The Strongest Power,
commences at an aggressive mid-tempo pace, the authoritative atmosphere
maintained during the songs verse portions before it tapers off upon
reaching its driving chorus. Stigsson’s fiery lead guitar work helps
to place "Deborah And Barak” among the albums better tracks.
The album closes with "Midnight”, a brief (1:19) number carried by a thunderstorm and ringing bells.
Review by: Andrew Rockwell
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