TNT were formed in Trondheim, Norway, in 1982. The original line-up consisted of 4 members: Dag Ingebrigtsen (Vocal), Ronni Lé Tekrö (Guitar), Steiner Eikum (Bass), and Morten "Diesel" Dahl. Their first self-titled album was released on Vertigo in Norway only, due to the fact that the lyrics were in Norwegian. Steinar soon left the band, and were replaced by Morty Black in 1983. In 1984 Dag (a.k.a. D.D. Dynamite) also left the band, and they soon were on the lookout for a new singer that could give them an international name. They almost chose Gary Barden (ex-MSG), but ended up with a New York born singer, from a local band called Jackal, named Tony Harnell. The band wanted an all-Norwegian image, so he changed his last name to Hansen. Album number two ('Knights Of The New Thunder') was released through PolyGram, and this time it was an international deal.1987 saw the release of their 3rd album, entitled 'Tell No Tales', and tour in the US. After the tour "Diesel" Dahl left the band, to form his own band, Tindrum. He was replaced by Kenneth Odiin, who lasted one album ('Intuition'), and a Japanese tour, during 1989. Then things became quiet for a while. The band lost their label-support. So it wasn't until 1992 TNT once again appeared. They introduced a new drummer, called John Macaluso, and a new album, entitled 'Realized Fantasies'. Sadly it was to be another 5 years until the band's next effort, entitled 'Firefly'. The band toured Norway and Japan. Then again a new album was released in 1999, named 'Transistor'. This time around, the band didn't even tour. In 2001 the word hit the streets. "Diesel" Dahl was once again a part of TNT, and the band were reunited to do music the way they did it in the 80's. The first proof of a revitalized TNT was the new track on the best-of compilation, entitled 'The Big Bang', released  in 2003. That was followed by 2 EP's, one for the Japanese market, named 'Taste', and one for the rest of the world, called 'Give Me A Sign'. In 2004 the band delivers their best album in 10 years in 'My Religion'. Followed up by next years "All The Way To The Sun". After a short tour, Tony Harnell decides to leave the band. TNT brings in Shy-vocalist Tony Mills to replace the "old" Tony, and releases a DVD and double CD, entitled "Live In Madrid" in 2006. Only a year later, TNT returns with 'The New Territory', with the new Tony, and Victor Borge on bass. And keeping the productivity level higher than ever before, 'Atlantis' was released in 2007.

TNT (1982, 1994) VERTIGO/POLYGRAM/KARUSELL

TNT broke into the market with a debut album, all sung in Norwegian! I think the reason for that was due to the success of singer Dag's former band, The Kids, had. They played glam-rock, sung in Norwegian, and sold enough to top Norway's hit list. So I guess it was all natural for them. Besides, Ronni's excellent guitar work sounds great besides any language! I know the band made quite an impact in their native country with this self titled debut. Listening to it today, it is a bit hard to understand why. The sound is raw and naive. And Dag is not a good singer. So the only reason for owning it is the fact that I love TNT, and must own anything the band release on CD! There actually exists an ultra rare 5 track vinyl EP with some of the songs sung in English. But it was used for promotion only, and never made it to CD.

Killer tracks: Harley Davidson, USA

KNIGHTS OF THE NEW THUNDER (1984) POLYGRAM

Seven Seas Ready To Leave Klassisk Romance - instrumental Last Summer's Evil Without Your Love Tor With The Hammer Break The Ice U.S.A. Deadly Metal Knights Of The Thunder Eddie

Line-up: Tony Hansen - Lead and Harmony Vocals Ronni Le Tekro - All Guitars Morty Black - Bass and Synthesizer Diesel Scan-Dahl - Drums and Percussion

This is the album that made me discover TNT. The opening track, entitled "Seven Seas", will forever be one of my all time favorite tracks. The guitar-solo in that song still leaves a big grin on my face, every time I hear it. What a phenomenal guitar-player Ronni really is! But let's not forget the other songs on the album, or the other members of the band, for that matter. Tony enters, and lifts the band to new heights with his voice. The entire album is pretty strong, actually. There are bits and pieces here and there that doesn't hold water anymore, but this CD still holds status as a classic metal album, in my book. 'Knights of the New Thunder' might also be the perfect place to start a TNT collection. "Eddie" is a bonus track for the CD release of this album.

Killer tracks: Pretty much all of them.

TELL NO TALES (1987) POLYGRAM/MERCURY

Back in the mid 80's all my favorite bands seemed to release only killer albums. That was certainly the case with TNT. As much as I loved 'Knights Of The New Thunder', I liked 'Tell No Tales' just as much. And what's not to like? First of all, the production is much better here. Secondly, the band members have grown, both as players, and as songwriters. So even though they have toned the rough metal sound down quite a bit, and concentrated on a more polished melodic sound, they still deliver stunnin' songs! A song like "Child's Play" must be one of metal's most forgotten gems? All in all, there is no weak spot on this album either. And if you are into soulfully played guitar, Ronni is your man! I think his best solos, riffing, everything is on this album. TNT rules!

I bought an extra copy of this disc on an auction site, because it was so cheap. Thought I'd use it as trade fodder. Turns out the booklet is singed by all 4 members of the band! Guess this will stay in my collection, and the "old" copy will be used for trade instead.

Killer tracks: Again, all of them.

INTUITION (1989) POLYGRAM/VERTIGO

'Intuition'  was released at a time when the name of your hair-stylist was mentioned in the liner-notes as just as important information as who actually played on the album. So the slick production, the ballads and the big hair are definitely all here! But that doesn't take away anything from TNT's music. They still deliver their quality music, like there were no tomorrow. The title-track alone is worth the price of a full CD. Some might say that there are a ballad or 2 too many present. But when a band write them as well as TNT do, I don't mind them at all. This album is as strong as anything else the band had released so far. Heck, this might even be their best album ever!

Killer tracks: Caught Between The Tigers, Tonight I'm Falling, End Of The Line, Intuition, Forever Shine On

Realized Fantasies (1992) atlantic

By the time 'Realized Fantasies' hit the streets, I had kind of moved away from the music TNT represents. For some reason, pop-metal was not considered cool, and although I've never been one to go with the flow, I still didn't care about this Norwegian act any longer. That is a shame! This album, although not as strong as their last 3, is filled with melodic metal in it's finest form. Most of the tracks are considered as classic TNT today. Just see how many of the songs from it that ended up on the compilation CD from 2003! It's albums like this that make me proud of being a Norwegian!

Killer tracks: Downhill Racer, Hard To Say Goodbye, Lionheart, All You Need

FIREFLY (1997) NORSKE GRAM (2CD)

I remember seeing the band perform the title-track from this album live on a Norwegian TV-show. The date was December 31.st, 1996. I was so excited, because the tune really rocked! Sure, there was this funky stuff in the middle of the song, but the base of the track was still hard. Then it took a while before I got to hear the entire album. And to be honest, I didn't miss out on anything. TNT have changed their successful formula, and play a more experimental kind of modern hard rock. The metal is all gone. I guess Tony is the one to blame, as he told in several interviews at the time that he had grown out of the hair-metal style, and that this is what TNT should sound like from now on. Well, he seemed to have forgotten that the fans is what makes a band, and they can also break a band. Because they would not have any of this. I think the band sold some copies over in Japan. But other than that, 'Firefly' was no success at all. They still write some beautiful ballads though. Just check out "Month Of Sundays", probably the best track on the album. But the reason for owning this album (other than if you are a die hard) has to be if you can get the double disc edition. Then you get the 'Three Night In Tokyo' live disc, previously only released in Japan, as a bonus. Now that is the way I think TNT should sound!

Killer tracks: Firefly, Angels Ride, Month Of Sundays

TRANSISTOR (1999) NORSKE GRAM

"We're returning to our roots with our next effort! We're gonna show the new bands how METAL should be played!" These lines were uttered by Ronni in an interview done promoting this album. So once again the fans were intrigued, and once again they were let down. Sure, they have gone a few steps back compared to 'Firefly'. But they still sound like a modern band, and not a band that have gone back to their roots. I mean, have they even listened to 'Knight Of The New Thunder' or 'Tell No Tales' in the recent decade? I bet, no! I think I even like this less then 'Firefly'.

Killer tracks: Wide Awake, Fantasia Española, The Whole You're In

THE BIG BANG - THE ESSENTIAL COLLECTION (2003) MERCURY/UNIVERSAL

Harley-Davidson (UK version) Eddie (US version) 10 000 Lovers (In One) Intuition As Far As The Eye Can See Tonight I'm Falling Everyone's A Star Take Me Down (Fallen Angel) Seven Seas Downhill Racer Forever Shine On Break The Ice Listen To Your Heart Last Summers Evil Caught Between The Tigers Knights Of The New Thunder Sapphire End Of The Line Hey Love (2003) Satellite (2003) Destiny (Previously unreleased)

A magnificent retrospect of this brilliant bands past. 21 songs, and nothing from 'Firefly' or 'Transistor'. Sure, you can always say that this and that song should have been here. But I still say this compilation sums up what this band is about perfectly. It is also an essential release for the fans who already have all their albums, because you also get the ultra rare English version of "Harley-Davidson", in addition to 2 new songs, and one previously unreleased tune recorded during the 'Tell No Tales' session. TNT rules!

TASTE (2003)  AVALON (Japanese EP)

Sometimes there is no end to what fans of a band does to obtain some rare items. I snagged this Japanese EP at a TNT concert, and paid the price of a full length CD for it! Why? It contains 1(!!) bonus track, not available anywhere else. The other tracks can be found on the European EP called 'Give Me A Sign'. Heck, 3 of them are also available on the compilation CD from 2003! The band once again show that they still can deliver quality melodic metal. This time they have returned to their roots, and it will be a blast to hear the upcoming full-length album.

MY RELIGION (2004) MTM/SPV (Limited Edition Digi-pack)

After the promising EP I was anxious to hear the full album. And here it is! 'My Religion' is actually an extension of what the EP was. It's filled with the melodic metal they once did so greatly. And they have even gone almost out of their way to sound like they did in their heydays. All of the members sound great on this release. From Harnell's excellent voice, to Morty's tasteful bass-playing. "Diesel" is adding a needed kick in the rare-end to the band, and Ronni delivers his signature guitar work. So what more could a TNT fan want? Well, to be honest, I'd hoped for even stronger material. There just aren't any songs like "10,000 Lovers (In One)" or "Intuition" present here. You know the kind of songs that stick to your mind, and make you sing along long after the CD is through. Sure, I dig songs like "Lonely Nights" and "Give Me A Sign". But still there is that little certain something missing. Another complaint I have is that my so-called limited edition digi-pack version was suppose to have 4 bonus tracks. Well, 2 of them are already available on both the EP and the best-of compilation from last year, so they're not exactly exclusive. And the other 2 are very short numbers with Tony and Ronni just saying "Hi, this is........ . You're listening to our new album, so stay tuned!". Talk about rip-off! Add to that the fact that 2 more of the tracks from the EP are also included on the regular CD, and 2 numbers are very short instrumental parts. This all might sound a bit too negative, so I'll just round this up by saying that TNT have delivered a fine album, and definitely their best one since 'Realized Fantasies'. So if you are a fan, this is a safe buy!

Killer tracks: Invisible Noise, Lonely Nights, My Religion, Give Me A Sign, Satellite

ALL THE WAY TO THE SUN (2005) MTM/SPV (Limited Edition w/bonus DVD)

I bought the 'Sometimes' single a month or so before this album came out. And I think that colored my view on what this album was going to sound like quite a bit. Because, to be honest, I could not at all get into this album. I thought it was way weaker than 'My Religion', and the step in the right direction was now suddenly turned into a leap towards the opposite. But isn't it strange how living with an album for months can really change a mans perspective on it? This is what is happening with me, and my thought on 'All The Way To The Sun'. I still think it is weaker than it's predecessor. And I certainly feel that this is a step back for the band. I want metal, not pop songs! But there is no denying the quality and strength of at least half of the material presented here. They can still write catchy songs! Most of them are very accessible. And therein lies the problem in my ears. They are too pop-oriented for my taste. This is what hurt 'Firefly', but luckily this new album isn't by far as experimental as that one. I could have done without the cover of "A Wonderful World" though. Oh, can you spot the Zeppelin "rip-off" in "Black Butterfly"? I bought the Limited Edition with a bonus DVD. The DVD is shaped as a band t-shirt, and contains 2 live-clips. Track 12 is misspelled as "Read To Fly" on the cardboard sleeve that surrounds the actual jewel case.

Killer tracks: A Fix, Driving, Sometimes, Black Butterfly, Ready To Fly

LIVE IN MADRID (2006) BONNIER AMIGO (CD/DVD)

Finally a proper live effort from TNT! The 'Three Nights In Tokyo' CD was never officially released outside of Japan, although it appeared as a bonus disc on some 'Firefly' releases. But now we get the vitalized band in all their glory, both on CD and DVD. The DVD came out first, but I waited and snagged this CD/DVD release. As events would have it, the April 1st concert this concert was recorded at in Spain turned out the be the second to last concert performed with the band. With that it mind, added to the fact that I've seen TNT live 2 times after the reunion (without them impressing me all that much), and that I'm not that big a fan of the newer material (represented quite heavily here), al together made me quite hesitant towards this live CD and DVD. I sat there as the ball opened, and thought to myself; "well, this is going to be boring". Luckily, the joke was on me, as song after song sounded great! The newer tunes sounds much heavier here, and the golden oldies can never sound bad to these ears. Tony does not let the fact that he already quit the band ruin his, or the bands, performance. The sound is great, although s little more crowd interaction would not have been out of place. The DVD is edited quite nicely too (no hasty MTV clipping here). It's also so unbelievably great to hear Ronni, as he shreds thru riff after riff, solo after solo. He is truly a guitar-hero, if I ever knew one! Diesel is his usual steady self, while Viktor is a solid addition on the bass. The DVD and the CD has the exact same track list, but the DVD also has some bonus concert clips from other places on the tour. We will miss you in TNT, Tony! The "new" Tony have some great shoes to fill, and you prove it to the max right here!

TNT 2006 line-up.

THE NEW TERRITORY (2007) BONNIER AMIGO

A new chapter in the life of TNT's has begun. Their trademark singer is gone, so naturally the fans are curious as to what the newbie will sound like. Is it even possible to fill Harnell's shoes? The man who got the chance is also named Tony, last name Mills. Some might know him from the band Shy. For others he is a completely new face, and voice. 'The New Territory' (notice the "initials") is the name of the new album. It is a completely logical step further from what we got on the last 2 albums, and in particular 'All The Way To The Sun'. I have to confess that when I heard that Harnell was out, I was hoping that TNT finally would go further back towards their roots. I was under the impression that it was the "old " Tony who always tried to push the band into softer areas. It seems I was dead wrong, and for what it is worth, Tony: I'M SORRY! Because the fact of the matter is that this is yet another step into a mellower direction. The album is completely void of anything you'd ever call metal. And out of the 13 tracks on the CD, I think I counted 4 ballads! A song like "Now We're Talkin'", who's lyrics is mostly compromised of various The Beatles song titles, is fun once or twice. But having to listen to it every time you put the CD in for a spin is something completely different. And I've not even started on the last track. "Let's Party Mills" is just Tony reading the credits for the album, over some carnival music!! It's not all bad though. some of the tracks are actually quite good, albeit I am hard pressed to find any real classics here. I like the inclusion of some Norwegian folk music influences here and there. And at least the first half of the album has grown immensely on me through repeated listening. Tony Mills is a great singer. At times he is an almost dead ringer for Harnell, so I have no qualms about him singing the old songs live. But the real star on the album is Ronni Le Tekrø. Everyone knows that he is a shredder, and here he is allowed to shine once more. Every song is seasoned with the mans signature style. And I think we all can agree on that he is one of the biggest reasons why we all love TNT. Sadly the last half of the album falls apart a little (minus the fabulous "Milestone River"), and I am having a hard time listening to it. All in all I would have to say the 'The New Territory' is one of the weaker albums in the bands catalogue, and that is of no fault of the new line-up. The band seems to have been a tad out of focus, and maybe rushed the album. Oh, as a last note; Am I the only one hearing loads of snippets from Ronni's "old" guitar-solo's scattered throughout this CD?

Killer tracks: A Constitution, Substitute, Golden Opportunity, Something Special, Milestone River

ATLANTIS (2008) BONNIER AMIGO

'The New Territory' had me worried that my beloved TNT would no longer be a band to be reckoned with. And I'm sad to say that 'Atlantis' doesn't help on that impression. Again the band is experimenting with everything but the metal I once loved them for. It is of course cool that Ronni gets to play Queen or The Beatles or whatever his influences for each song might be. But TNT used to have their own sound, and that is not present here at all. Sure, the all so familiar guitar-sound is here, Ronni is after all a one-of-a-kind player, and has a very distinct sound. But he is using it to create songs that are very a-typical, and very different. Tony Mills is sounding so similar to Tony Harnell it's almost scary. One would have thought that he would bring something different to the table this time around, seeing that he was in the band during the entire creating process for 'Atlantis'. But the fact is he contributed more as a song writer on 'The New Territory'. Now, if the brother part of these songs were at least memorable, or stood out in any positive manner, I would not have been so harsh. But 'Atlantis' comes more across as a Ronni LeTekrø solo album, than a band effort. And I'm afraid that Ronni himself is tasting too much of the rock 'n' roll tobacco these days to really be a good judge of how the band should sound. If you were a fan of 'Firefly', then 'Atlantis' might be your cup of reefer (it's certainly Ronni's!), but I can't help being disappointed. The album grows on you with heavy rotation. And if the TNT logo was not on this album, I might have even liked it more than I actually give the impression of. Songs like the fun "Peter Seller's Blues", the personal "Me And Dad" and the experimental "Tango Girl" aren't all that bad in their own rights. But they do not sound like TNT to me. This ship has sunk, and the album is aptly entitled thereafter......

Killer tracks: Hello, Hello

Ronni Lé Tekrö guest appearances:

Carnivora - 'Judas'

Jorn - 'Starfire'

Tony Harnell guest appearances:

Widowmaker - 'Blood And Bullets'

Wild Willy's Gang - 'Camouflage'

Liberty N' Justice - 'Soundtrack Of A Soul'

Tony Mills guest appearances:

Liberty N' Justice - 'Independence Day'

RELATED ARTISTS:

ARK, Tindrum, Vagabond, Wild Willy's Gang, Millenium, Jorn, Starbreaker, Chris Caffery, Yngwie Malmsteen