The Austrian city of Salzburg, often referred to as the ‘Mozart City’, is known not only for its picturesque landscapes, lakes, and nearby Salzkammergut region but also for its beautiful old town and the majestic Hohensalzburg Fortress, one of the largest and best-preserved castles in Europe. These are cultural highlights, but beyond these visual features, Salzburg is also a vibrant center of music. Along with its historical connection to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the city has also provided a stage for other musical talents.
An example is the melodic heavy metal and hard rock band Speed Limit, which has been shaping the music scene since 1984. For their fortieth anniversary, the band plans to celebrate their musical legacy with a series of special events and releases. The latest release is the EP ‘New Horizon‘, a selection from the current full-length album ‘Cut A Long Story Short‘ enhanced with live recordings. Alongside the EP, Speed Limit also presents a playlist with several music and live videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Last year, Speed Limit celebrated a successful comeback with their sixth official studio album ‘Cut A Long Story Short‘. The album, positioned between melodic heavy metal and hard rock, remained in the Top 10 of the official Amazon and iTunes Sales Charts for several weeks. The singles ‘Hit The Wall‘ and ‘Shine Brighter Than The Sun‘ competed head-to-head with albums like ’72 Seasons’ by Metallica in the official German metal and rock charts.
Speed Limit rocked the year 2023
Led by vocalist and drummer Hannes Vordermayer, bassist Chris Pawlak, and guitarists Joe Eder and Chris Angerer, the Salzburg metal institution toured Austria in support of this album release. Highlights included a sold-out show on June 16, 2023, the day of the album’s release, at Rockhouse Salzburg. They also performed alongside U.D.O. at the musical live performance at the Wildstyle and Tattoo fair in Salzburg.
Moving to New Horizons
It’s no secret that the members of Speed Limit are no longer the youngest, as they celebrate their fortieth anniversary this year. However, this does not stop them from continuing to speed along the rock highway, always in the fast lane. A special highlight is the release of their long-lost album ‘The Broken Record: The Chorus Sound Tapes 1990‘, which appeared on April 26, 2024. This release took place a week before the new video and the EP ‘New Horizon‘. A week after this nostalgic return, the band will again focus on the present.
The main theme of the EP ‘New Horizon‘ deals with the personal development of a person trapped in routine who should still strive for progress, even if he fears change and is a creature of habit. With this anthem, Speed Limit presents a melodic hard rock song intended to inspire people to venture into new territories.
The EP ‘New Horizon‘ is enhanced by the song ‘Eye On You‘, which deeply examines the loyalty and connection between two people. This piece impresses with compositional finesse and moving melody sequences.
The release concludes with live versions of the songs ‘Dead Eyes‘ and ‘Lady‘, which originate from the legendary mini-album ‘Prophecy’ and were recorded at a concert in Seeham, Austria. A live version of the main title ‘New Horizon‘, recorded on June 17, 2023, at Rockhouse Salzburg, rounds off the EP and simultaneously offers a preview of the upcoming release of a live album and a concert film for the band’s anniversary.
For the music video, Speed Limit guitarist Joe Eder is responsible, with camera direction assistance from his daughter Jeanne Eder.
Speed Limit – Live in Concert
Concert enthusiasts also have reason to rejoice: Speed Limit is currently working on an extensive concert series, and the following dates are already scheduled. Fans of melodic classic metal should mark these dates in their calendars:
- May 3, 2024 – Speed Limit – Live @ Explosiv Graz (AT) – Rock Thru Ages with Badhoven and Apis
- October 3, 2024 – Speed Limit – Live @ Rockhouse Salzburg (AT) – Anniversary Show
From the Present to the Past – Or: Back to the Future
But the past has also caught up with Speed Limit. On April 26, a musical time capsule was released: With ‘The Broken Record: Chorus Sound Tapes‘, Speed Limit released a lost album from 1990 for the first time. This work was originally intended as a successor to the ‘Prophecy‘ album and is a true gem in the history of the Salzburg metal formation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
After guitarist Joe Eder joined the band, the future looked promising. Songs like the fast heavy metal track ‘Head Over Heels‘ and the hard rocker ‘Nights Alone‘, which were released on later albums, show how the band sounded in the 80s. With songs like ‘Back In Black‘ and the fast ‘Tellin’ A Tale‘, Speed Limit demonstrates their prowess, frozen in time. Unfortunately, the album was never officially released before and rested in the band’s archives. ‘The Broken Record‘, except for guitarist Hel Lennart, for whom Joe Eder stepped in, was recorded by the successful lineup of the ‘Prophecy‘ album and has now, after 35 years, received its official release.
Speed Limit looks back on 40 years of heavy metal
Speed Limit is firmly anchored in the Austrian metal scene and was founded in 1984 by the fusion of the bands Ampere and Speed Limit. The founding members include bassist Chris Pawlak, drummer Andreas “Andy” Rethemeier, guitarists Chris Angerer and Joachim “Jocky” Brunner, and vocalist Hans Huthmann. Their debut album “Unchained” from 1986, known for tracks like “Burning Steel” and “Fight To Survive”, helped them gain initial recognition in the Austrian and German metal and hard rock scene.
In the context of a lineup change, Bavarian frontman Steven Hogger joined the band in 1987, bringing a fresh sound to the Salzburg metalcrusaders. With Hogger and new guitarist Hel Lennart, the band released the now legendary mini-album “Prophecy”, which further boosted the group’s popularity. This led to performances across Europe and significant TV appearances.
The 1990s brought further events but also highlights for Speed Limit. The band was voted the best Austrian metal act by the magazine Rennbahn Express, supported by Legends like Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden and Gene Simmons of Kiss. Concerts with U.D.O., Chroming Rose, or Girlschool were opportunities to experience Speed Limit live at the time.
Despite hard work on a follow-up album to “Prophecy”, there were delays, and the album was ultimately never released. The disappointment over this setback led to the departure of Steven Hogger, who was replaced by Chris T. Ebert.
The band published their second official album “Perfect Inspiration” in 1992, but despite a well-attended tour, they could not match their earlier successes. A farewell concert in 1994 seemed to mark the end of Speed Limit.
However, a successful reunion took place in 2008, with many of the original members, including Steven Hogger, returning. This reformation was seen as a new beginning, not just a comeback.
The reunion led to concerts and tours with Manfred Mann’s Earthband, Nazareth, and Uriah Heep, resulting in a new album titled “Moneyshot” in 2010, which gained international recognition. In 2012, Hogger left the band again and was replaced by Manuel Brettl, who did not stay long. In 2017, the band returned with “Anywhere We Dare” and after Brettl’s departure, drummer Hannes Vordermeyer took over the role of lead vocalist in 2018.
In 2022, the band signed a contract with the German label NRT-Records, which released their album “Cut A Long Story Short” in 2023. This album achieved high positions in the official rock and metal charts. Shortly thereafter, the long-unreleased album from 1990, “The Broken Record: Chorus Sound Tapes”, was discovered and was released for the first time on April 26, 2024.
Just a week later, Speed Limit refocuses on the present and future: The band’s latest release, the EP ‘New Horizon‘, will be released on May 3rd via NRT-Records, the day Speed Limit will rock the Explosiv in Graz (Austria) together with Apis and Badhoven.
For those who want to learn more about the Salzburg showcase rockers, check out the following links:
Speed Limit on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/
Speed Limit on Bandcamp:
https://speed-limit.bandcamp.
Listen to Speed Limit on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/
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