ARTIST: Rival
LABEL: Underground Power Records
UPC: N/A
GENRE: Heavy Metal
RELEASE DATE: 11/01/2023

For the 1st time on Vinyl the legendary Debut EP from this US Power Metal Warriors from Chicago – originally released in 1991 on cassette

Rival was formed in the hot Chicago summer of 1990 by founding drummer Gary Olson, bassist/vocalist John Johnson, and guitarists Neven Trivic and Chuck McNulty. Having been in previous cover bands with each other before at some point, this union was a mixture of just the right chemistry.

They entered a recording studio with limited funds, and emerged with a self-titled 5 song EP in 1991 consisting of all original material. This debut, stacked with crunching guitars, power drums, and melodic vocals from end to end, made quite an impact in the local scene. While the music was changing towards “alternative” in the states, Rival did not conform to the trend and stuck to their metal roots. As the band weathered the storm, they continued to write new material for a full-length release..