Review: Osukaru – Tall Tales

Pride & Joy Music – August 21^st, 2026

Reviewer – Jason Hopper

Swedish hard rockers Osukaru are back after a five-year hiatus to bring the world their latest release ‘Tall Tales‘.  Having discovered this band in 2021, I was pleased to be able to review their last album ‘Starbound’ (review here) as well as founder Oz Hawe Petersson’s solo effort ‘Rendezvous’ (review here). I rated both albums highly.

Hoping for an upward trajectory, the album starts off well enough with opener ‘Exceeder’, a mid-tempo rocker that’s solid, but not what I would expect from an opener. There are other tracks with a bit more intensity that should have opened the album. I probably would have dug this track a bit more if it was placed elsewhere on the album.

Last album’s Track 2, ‘Rise of the Underdog’, was very much in the vein of Yngwie Malmsteen.  This album’s Track 2, Wendigo’, sounds like a tune you would hear from Dokken and Lynch Mob. The verses seem to be inspired musically by ‘Dream Warriors’ and the chorus a bit of ‘No Bed of Roses’. As one would expect, this combo works well together.

First single ‘Blood On The Rocks’ accurately represents what one would expect from the album.  Blues-based, late 80s, heavy rock grooves performed with love and passion.

Three songs in and it’s time for the ballad. I do like the tradition of Track 4 being the place you will find the slower, more heartfelt numbers. ‘The Other Side Within’ has my favorite chorus on the album. The harmonized vocals are perfection and make the song soar.

I need to point out two more standouts. The rocket fire fast pace of ‘Ronin’, the most metallic sounding track on the album with its ferocious double bass drumming, gets the blood pumping!  There’s a part in the middle where the song, while remaining heavy and intense, incorporates some arpeggios and adds a layer that wasn’t expected but very welcome.

Album closer ‘C’est Dans Ta Tête’ (Translation – It’s In Your Head) has a fantastic, upbeat riff that got me to bang my head to the rhythm. I could see this as a song the band would open their set with, and perhaps this should have been the album opener. The only downside is the final minute, which consists of a woman speaking while the music fades. She’s clearly messing with the listener’s head while quasi-demonic voices slowly creep in. I get what the band was going for, but it goes on a bit long and is unnecessary.

While I dig this album, I will rate it below their last album ‘Starbound’ and on par with their 2018 album ‘House of Mirrors’.  ‘Starbound’ was all killer, no filler. This album took me a bit to warm to and did not grab me instantly like their last album. There are a few tracks that I will not be returning to with this release. They’re not bad tracks, just unremarkable in their style and too derivative of other songs that came before. Fans of the band will be pleased with the release, with a few of the songs destined to be defining tracks down the road.

Track List:

1. Exceeder
2. Wendigo
3. Blood On The Rocks
4. The Outer Side Within
5. Ronin
6. Who Do You Love
7. Split
8. Only Moments Left
9. When It’s Over
10. C’est Dans Ta Tête

Line-up:

Fredrik Werner – lead vocals, guitar

Oz Hawe Petersson – guitar, background vocals

Marcus Zerath – bass, background vocals

C.D – drums, percussion

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