Sven Gali have not had an easy ride. Their debut Sven Gali was just a year too late to make them into the rock heroes they seemed destined to be. Had it come out in 1991, they would have had a massive hit on their hands. The second album Inwire (1995) was a reaction to the 90s alterna-metal scene. The band reunited in 2007, but tragedy struck when cancer killed founding guitarist Dee Cernile in 2012.
Against the odds, Sven Gali persevered and in 2018 added some heavy firepower to the lineup: Dan Fila and Sean Williamson of Varga. One by one, they began releasing new tracks. Now in 2020 we have the first new Sven Gali release in 25 years: an EP called 3.
Somewhat surprisingly, Sven Gali did not revert back to the hard rock anthemic sound that was the cornerstone of their debut album. Instead they picked up where they left off on Inwire, with four new songs produced by David Bendeth who also produced their debut. Incredibly it sounds like they haven’t missed a step. Even more incredibly, it’s some of their best stuff! Singer Dave Wanless has lost nothing. The band is still rounded out by original members: guitarist Andy Frank and bassist Shawn Minden.
The four songs all share melodic vocal hooks, heavy guitars and aggressive grooves. With the addition of Fila and Williamson, the band have rebuilt themselves into a beast heavier than before. Picking a favourite isn’t possible because this EP is not immediate. Like many favourites that stand the test of time, 3 will take some listens to fully absorb and love. Fortunately we have a whole summer ahead of us to do that. The EP has the depth and potential to become a bit of a classic. Even if Inwire wasn’t your thing, this EP is better. The songs are more focused, heavier, with more hooks. The vocal melodies sometimes veer into an old anthemic metal style, like on “Hurt”. By taking their time, Sven Gali were able to make sure they had four excellent tracks for this release.
Good on Sven Gali for sticking it out, and not resting on their laurels. Any band can get replacement members and reunite. Fewer still put out new music, much less on a physical media. Sven Gali have put together a slammin’ new lineup and a triumphant EP. You just can’t write this band off.
SVEN GALI – In My Garden (1992 BMG promo cassette)
One of the great perks to a M.E.A.T Magazine subscription was getting free promo tapes in the mail. One of the bands that M.E.A.T had been hyping was Sven Gali, who had a major label debut on deck with BMG for release. We were all curious what Sven Gali sounded like…and then this promo tape arrived, previewing three of the tracks!
The lead singer can make or break a band, and Sven Gali had Dave Wanless. Mr. Wanless had the power reminiscent of another successful Canadian, a certain Sebastian Something who was out there ruling the concert stages. Wanless also had the right look, and of course a pretty good band! From the ranks of Billy Idol came veteran drummer Gregg Gerson, joining with Dee Cernile (guitars, R.I.P.), Andy Frank (guitars), and “T.T.” (bass). They could rock. They had soloists arguably more interesting than the guys in Skid Row. And, as evident in this tape, they could write hooks.
“Freakz” wasn’t the lead single, but it could have been. Rebellious rock attitude, tires smoking down a dark alley, guns blazing…and just a pinch of funk. “When you gonna learn, baybay!” screams Dave Wanless, and just know he’s got at least one fist raised when he’s singing it.
Up second is a track that did become a single, the dark ballad “In My Garden” (an edit version). This world-class ballad has all the right ingredients including chorus hooks, a place to shout along, and perfect guitars. In the early 1990s, if grunge had not derailed the rock n’ roll train, bands like Sven Gali (more aggressive than the 80s groups but not abandoning solos and choruses, and with an ear for musicianship) would have been the next wave.
The last track on the tape is the borderline thrash of “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow”, ironic in hindsight since Sven Gali only managed two albums before being submerged by the flotsam of the mid 90s rock scene. Skid Row comparisons are easy to make (in a positive way), but there’s one major difference between Skid Row and Sven Gali. That is Sven Gali still have their original singer where Skid Row do not. (They have a new track out called “You Won’t Break Me” to be followed by a CD in 2020.) They might not have exceeded the fame of Skid Row, but they might just end up having more material with their original singer….
This cassette whet the appetite for the eventual album, which maybe suffered from too much material, but on tape these songs sound ace!
4/5 stars
Check out the credits. Photos by famed photographer Floria Sigismondi, who took just about every memorable photo of every 90s band you can think of. Today she’s a movie director! She’s the reason this tape looks so cool.
Being a pack rat has its advantages. It means I have loads of fun little pieces of memorabilia to share. Enjoy these scans of some seasonal Sven Gali mailings! First is the 1992 Christmas postcard they sent out, signed by all five members. Including drummer Gregg Gerson (Billy Idol) who left the band not long afterwards. A cool set of autographs to have, and they’re real. And let’s not forget it also has the lyrics to a naughty Sven Gali version of “The 12 Days of Christmas”!
The second item is from 1993, and it’s their fan newsletter. Kinda neat. The Sven Gali logo on this is not one I’ve seen before. It was never used on an album. Cool little keepsakes!
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