SPEED LIMIT

track-list:
Shine Brighter Than The Sun
New Horizon
Eye On You
The Lady Is On Fire
Notorious
Destiniy’s Calling
The Wind Blew In A Memory
Hit The Wall
Sweet Morphine (Live At Seeham)
Retired Hero (Live At Seeham)
Ways And Means (2019 Version)
Head Over Heels (Re-Recording)

Recorded and mixed by: Joe Eder
Mastered by: Christoph Stickel
All Songs are written, composed and recorded by Speed Limit
Photos: Sven Kristian Wolf
Cover Artwork: Joe Eder
Concept of videos: Walter Fanninger & Joe Eder

line-up:
Hannes Vordermayer – lead vocals & drums
Chris Pawlak – bass guitar & vocals
Chris Angerer – guitars & vocals
Joe Eder – guitars & gesang

former members:
Hans Huthmann – lead vocals
Jocky Brunner – guitars
Andy Rethmeier – drums
Chris T. Ebert – lead vocals
Ritchie Krenmaier – lead vocals
Manuel Brettl – lead vocals
Hel Lennart – guitars
Kurt Rumpf – drums
Fred Forester – drums
Wolf Krug – drums

live-shows (current dates):
June the 17th, 2023 Rockhouse (Salzburg)
August the 2nd, 2023 InnRock Reloaded (Radfeld)
October the 28th, 2023 Wildstyle & Tattoomesse /w. U.D.O

Paul van der Burght, Manic Mosh Magazine Metal – UK:
“[…] There’s some tasty guitarwork running through the entire set, and the vocalage of Manuel Brettl is another asset to the musical performance, delivering a great powerhouse voice that is both melodic and rough edged with a strong vibrato and up-tone siren yells.”

Justin Hulford, The Rocktologist – UK:
“[…] As the tracks continue they continue to demonstrate that they are very good at heavily tweaking arrangements and at throwing in plenty of flourishes.”

Craig Hartranft, Dangerdog – US:
“[…] All in all Speed Limit’s Any Where We Dare is a refreshing return to ist NwoBHM melodic metal origins.”

Markus, Heavy Music Blog – FR:
“[…] The new longplayer became a solid metal album. The band is best when they unveilthe uptempo rockers.”

Stef/Officer Nice, Metal To Infinity – BE:
“[…] I hear a band that knows how to write and perform good Metal, with all ingredients this kind of music demands. This kind of music stays forever good if you’re a real metal fan!.”

Some stories are excessively debaucherous and seem to lead to nowhere.
Details and single aspects run the risk of becoming too lengthy and long winded.
The Austrian heavy metal veterans of Speed Limit know all about this and release their 6th studio album Cut A Long Story Short on June, 16th 2023 on NRT-Records with a line of live shows (including support shows with U.D.O. amoungst others).
Referring to the history of the metalband with founding members Chris Pawlak (bass), Chris Angerer (guitar) as well as Joe Eder (guitar) and Hannes Vordermayer (drums & lead vocals) formed in 1984 in Salzburg/Austria the title of the new album could not have been a better choice:
Speed Limit offers on ‘Cut A Long Story Short’ 8 new songs that convince with lyrical variety and a powerful mix of styles.
Speed Limits 'Cut A Long Story Short' easily switches between hard rock, melodic metal and classic heavy metal involving bits and pieces of the so-called New Wave Of British Heavy Metal using a notebook full of exiting topics and fatefull memories: Opening with the galloping rhythms of 'Shine Brigther Than The Sun' with it´s optimistic prospect to a brighter future Speed Limit is hopping to the mid tempo battle cry for change of New Horizon. The melodic 'Eye On You' deals with loyalty in a heavy duty and catchy oath of love before the hot 70ies inspired 'Lady Is on Fire' delivers Rock ´n Roll with it´s rough and ready boogie flair.
The merciless heavyweight ‘Notorious’ emerge to a masterpiece of melodic power metal.
A dramatic loss of friendship ending in a pleasurable journey celebrated with a chorus that definitely goes under your skin.
There are times when ‘Destiny´s Calling’ with no chance of compromises and blind excuses, articulated in a moving story with tons of passionate guitar leads and straight forward beats.
But Speed Limit is also capable of a quieter shade with the temperate but flaring up power ballad ‘The Wind Blew In A Memory’.
Starting softly with emotional piano and clean guitar seasoning developing to a heart-pounding climax with a main character revisiting a long lost love.
‘Hit The Wall’ – according to expectations – clarifies that stretching to your limits often means that you simply have to hit a wall before you find yourself on solid ground again – all packed up in a rocker that leaves you humming the chorus line for days.
Live cuts of ‘Sweet Morphine’ and ‘Retired Hero’ (both from album Anywhere We Dare) – recorded at Seeham/Austria in 2021 – and two additional studio recordings – ‘Ways & Means’ (studio outtake 2020) and the all time classic ‘Head Over Heels’ (originally released on album ‘Perfect Inspiration’) – complete Speed Limit´s newest studio output ‘Cut A Long Story Short’ as bonus tracks.
In 2023 Speed Limit overlook nearly 40 years of an excitingly touching and eventful band history with cross country chart entry, live touring – sharing stages with Uriah Heep, U.D.O, Nazareth, Manfred Mann´s Earthband amongst others.
It all started in 1984 when the bands Ampere and Speed Limit allied their forces to fire the starting pistol for this new band.
They choose the name Speed Limit for it´s better sound taken from Bon Scott´s lyrics to ‘Highway To Hell’.
The line up of those days – bassist Chris Pawlak, guitarists Chris Angerer und Jacky Brunner, drummer Andy Rethmeier and singer Hans Hutmann – managed to collect a reasonable amount of fans and Speed Limit gigs in turned out to be a melting point for the upcoming hard rock- and metal-scene of the mid 80ies.
Encouraged by the positive feedback the band had gathered, they dared the next big step to produce the first album ‘Unchained’ released over Die Muehle Recordings in 1986.
Songs like ‘Burning Steel’, ‘Vanishing Angel’, ‘Fight To Survive’, ‘Marriage In Hell’ or ‘Slave Of Desire’ developed to classics in live shows.
Unchained remains to the present a rare collector´s item in the melodic hard rock/metal scene gaining maximum prices in auctions worldwide.
After a line of gigs in Austria and Bavaria Speed Limit parted with Hans Hutmann and recruited Bavarian Steven Hogger (ex Cannon), a singer with abilities, that could fulfill the international approach of the band.
Soon followed the replacement of guitarist Jocky Brunner by Hel Lennart.
The new lineup entered the legendary Hoernix-Sound Studios in Gottsdorf to record the blueprint album ‘Prophecy’ produced by Peter W. Kevin and released by Breaking Records which marked Speed Limit´s final breakthrough.
Not least the video clip to ‘Lady’ gave way to cross country chart entry, extensive touring Austria, Germany, Italy and Hungary and strong promotion activity such as video airplay, TV-appearances, tracks on compilations.
Activities that helped to expand the efficiency to Japan, Scandinavia, Canada and USA.
Unforgotten the homecoming gig at the Stadtkino in Salzburg, September 1988 where the footage to the video clip ‘Dead Eyes’ had been filmed, which beneath ‘Lady’, ‘No Lies’ and ‘1000 Girls’ from the album ‘Prophecy’ turned to live classics.
In this period they had to part with Hel Lennart and guitarist Joe Eder (ex Torso) stepped in.
In 1989 the Austrian music magazine Rennbahn Express voted Speed Limit best national metal act (Jury: Gene Simmons/Kiss and Bruce Dickinson/Iron Maiden).
In 1990 Speed Limit started recording what was to become the follow up to ‘Prophecy’.
As the recordings didn’t find an end, the band interrupted studio work occasionally to hit live-stages (as they did with U.D.O., Maniac, Chroming Rose).
After having finished recording and mixing the date of release had been delayed several times and was finally canceled by the record company without giving suitable reasons.
In this unsatisfying situation singer Steven Hogger quit the band.
Soon the band had reassembled having recruited new singer Chris T. Ebert.
Armed with unbroken motivation they hit stages again (supporting Nazareth, Uriah Heep, Girlschool etc.) before they pulled all strings to finally have a new album out.
What was to happen in 1992?
This time around ex U8-legend Peter Wehrhan and again Peter W. Kevin teamed up and took responsibility for producing and recording.
The band entered the Kick-Sound Studio in Salzburg and didn’t leave until the album ‘Perfect Inspiration’ was ready to being released.
Fortunately the interest in Speed Limit hadn’t lost it´s strength after four years.
Again TV-appearances, radio interviews, airplay and intense live-aktivity (Germany, Austria, Italy) followed the album release.
It didn’t take long until the line up – ‘merry go round’ started turning again.
This time the drumsticks where passed to ex U8-drummer Kurt Rumpf after Andy Rethmeier had left.
A year later Fred Forester (ex Boogie Stuff) followed Rumpf.
In the meantime Speed Limit had finished a highly successful ‘unplugged’-tour, but the album ‘Perfect Inspiration’ could not prolong the successful path of ‘Prophecy’ inspite of new outstanding good songs like ‘Head Over Heels’, ‘Love is a Stranger’ or ‘Nights Alone’ on board.
But as the 90ies weren’t the high time for heavy metal, there was no wonder that it got quieter for Speed Limit.
November 1994 saw the last concert in a then new Rockhouse Salzburg.
In 2008 Speed Limit reunited the successful line-up of 1989 (except Drummer Andy Rethmeier) with singer Steven Hogger, bassist Chris Pawlak, the guitarists Chris Angerer and Joe Eder and neo-drummer Wolfgang Krug.
“This is no comeback – this is a new beginning!”
the five agreed.
Shortly after the first rehearsals Speed Limit had been invited to open for Nazareth in Austria.
The first live appearance after nearly 14 years took place on April 12th, 2008 at Gusswerk/Salzburg.
The overwhelming reaction of some 1300 rock fans washed away the last doubts of this reunion.
For a thunderous Reunion Party the Rockhouse Salzburg was packed on 27th of October 2008 before Speed Limit embarked on a brief tour with Uriah Heep in November 2008.
They also co-headlined the Austrian Rockfestival in Klagenfurt together with bands like No Bros and Blind Petition earlier that year.
In 2009 the reunion tour continued (i.e. headlining the Celtic-Metal-Festival/Hallein) bevor playing some highly rewarding shows with Manfred Mann´s Earthband in Germany.
Midsummer the band stopped their live-activity to start working on a new album ‘Moneyshot’.
The release of ‘Moneyshot’ (Pure-Steel Records) marked the reappearing on the world map of melodic/classic metal.
Countless positive reviews from all over the globe (USA to Japan, Paris to Jakarta, UK to Bulgaria) brought Speed Limit back into Rock and Metal magazines and web zines.
In Germany ‘Moneyshot’ entered TOP 30 of „German Metal Rock Charts“ – stayed for 7 weeks.
In 2011 the record company (Pure Steel Records´sublabel Kartago) was busy re-releasing the 1980ies vinyl-records ‘Unchained’/’Prophecy’ on CD.
Beneath a number of appearances (festivals, clubs, support-slots) the self established annual Classic Metal Summit (together with genre-heroes such as: Pink Cream 69, Pretty Maids, Bonfire, Kissin` Dynamite, Shakra) turned out to be the highlight of Speed Limit´s live activities.
Most surprisingly Steven Hogger quit the band in the fall of 2012 in the period of preparing for pre-production for the next album.
The band started a collaboration with Ritche Krenmaier formally working with Austrian power metal cracks Stygma IV.
After months of lacking power and inspiration the summer of 2014 resulted in the end of cooperation with singer Ritchie Krenmaier and drummer Wolf Krug.
This seemed to be the end of Speed Limit.
A meeting of longtime mates and members Chris Pawlak, Chris Angerer and Joe Eder in October 2014 gave way to a powerful and proud restart with singer Manuel Brettl and drummer Hannes Vordermayer.
In 2017 ‘Anywhere We Dare’ was released by Pure Steel Records and could easily convince new and old fans and the international media with songs like ‘Sweet Morphine’, ‘Retired Hero’, ‘Bridges’ or ‘Sign Of The Times’.
Manuel Brettl left the band shortly after the release of ‘Anywhere We Dare’ for personal reasons.
After an inefficient search for a suitable lead singer drummer Hannes Vordermayer – a talented and experienced singer in previous bands – took over the lead vocals.
2019 saw a successful 35 years anniversary tour stopping in Graz, Innsbruck, Vienna and Salzburg before Speed Limit started pre-production of what was to become the follow up to ‘Anywhere We Dare’.
December 2022 Speed Limit signs a long-term record deal with German independent label NRT-Records resulting not only in the release of the new album ‘Cut A Long Story Short’ (June, 16th 2023) but also the full back-catalogue digitally.
For the first time the 1992 album ‘Perfect Inspiration’ will now be available again.
Tobias Schoenbeck from HOEVER Film remastered Speed Limit´s Video Clips re-released by NRT-Records.
With the new single/video ‘Hit The Wall’ and the live presentation/release party on June, 17th 2023 at Rockhouse Salzburg Speed Limit will start this new chapter of the story.
Aside this special release party, Speed Limit will start touring with highlights at INNROCKreloaded Festival Tirol and Wildstyle Tattoo Messe/Salzburg (supporting Accept-legend U.D.O).
All friends and supporters of melodic hard rock and metal ought to put a red mark to the release date (June 16th 2023) of Speed Limit´s long awaited 6th album ‘Cut A Long Story Short’.