OZ III Warning CD (Slipcase, Poster, 2025, High Roller Records)

III Warning is the third full-length studio album from Finnish heavy metal pioneers Oz, originally released in 1984 and widely regarded as one of the band’s strongest and most focused recordings. This High Roller Records CD reissue comes housed in a slipcase and includes an extensive booklet and a double-sided poster, with transfer, audio restoration, and mastering handled by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony in April 2025, ensuring the best possible sound quality for collectors and longtime fans.

Formed in 1977 in the small Finnish town of Nakila, Oz quickly rose from local obscurity to become one of Europe’s early heavy metal trailblazers. Following the success of their debut album The Oz and the acclaimed Fire In The Brain, the band relocated to Stockholm to pursue a full-time recording career. III Warning was recorded at Electra Studios in Stockholm and produced by Börje “The Boss” Forsberg for Tyfon Grammofon AB, capturing Oz at their most disciplined and powerful.

Musically, III Warning presents Oz as a tight, confident heavy metal machine, blending driving riffs, strong melodies, and anthemic songwriting. Tracks such as “Crucified,” “Runner,” and “Rock’n’Roll Widow” showcase the band’s ability to combine urgency and atmosphere, while the closing track “Total Metal” perfectly sums up the album’s direct, uncompromising spirit. Compared to earlier releases, Oz deliberately refined their image and focused more clearly on the music itself, distancing themselves from the darker imagery that had previously led to comparisons with early black metal acts.

This High Roller Records reissue offers a definitive edition of a classic European heavy metal album, making III Warning an essential addition for fans of traditional metal and serious collectors alike.

Recommended if you like: Accept, Saxon, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, King Diamond, Riot V, Running Wild, Stormwitch, Heavy Load, Ostrogoth

Artist: OZ 
Title:  III Warning 
Label: High Roller Records
Catalogue Number: HRR1033CD
UPC:  4251267722426
Release Year: 2025
Duration: Album
Format: CD
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
Condition: New & Factory Sealed
Special attributes: Slipcase, Poster, Remastered Reissue

Tracklist:

1. Third Warning  
2. Crucified  
3. Runner  
4. Rock'n'Roll Widow  
5. Samurai  
6. Born Out of Time  
7. Too Bad to Be True  
8. Total Metal  
9. Turn the Cross Upside Down