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August 29, 2008 |
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01. Can't Get Enough
02. Regain Your Crown
03. Look Out
04. Friend
05. Born To Rock
06. Old
07. Girls Girls
08. On The Run
09. Angel
10. Make It Home
11. I Don't Care
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Get ready for another lengthy high-octane powered spin on the steel highway. Roughly a year and a half after releasing their debut full-length, "Volume One", Sweden's HELLFUELED are back with another paralyzing jolt of in-your-face heavy metal designed specifically to kick your ass harder than the first time. If you took my previous recommendation seriously and picked yourself up a copy of "Volume One", you can be rest assured that the band's new album, "Born II Rock", will not let you down. Recorded once again at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden and produced (again) by Fredrik Nordström (DREAM EVIL, ARCH ENEMY, IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR), accompanied by Patrik J, "Born II Rock" contains the same amount of depth, flavor, and intensity as the previous release, only this just takes it a step further.
The band (Andy Alkman - vocals, Jocke Lundgren - guitars, Henke Lönn - bass, Kent G. Svensson - drums) already proved their unquestionable abilities on "Volume One" and have since doubled their efforts to create this new dose of refined heaviness. Quite frankly, I didn't expect anything less from these guys. They're just that good at what they do, and what I really like is the fact that they're music is pretty original (in spite of the obvious OZZY/Zakk Wylde influence). So here's a glimpse into what I would call HELLFUELED: Reloaded.
Not much has changed by way of comparison to the band's style. The ever-recognizable heavy Zakk Wylde-inspired riffage is present from front to back, as is the distinct voice of Andy Alkman, not to mention the overall power behind the music itself. The one thing that I really like about this disc is the consistency. The vocals, guitars, bass, drums - everything - all remain prevalent throughout. I won't continue to make any OZZY/Zakk comparisons here because I don't think there is any real need to. Despite what some may say, I don’t think HELLFUELED are copying anyone. I just think they've developed a sound that is SIMILAR to their obvious influences, but not so much that they've "cloned" it to perfection (like MANY bands have done with IN FLAMES' patented sound). I don't know of any other band currently inhabiting the metal scene that sound anything like HELLFUELED. Originality goes a long way in my books. Let's just hope that no one else jumps on this bandwagon.
This is the kind of album you want to listen to while driving 80 miles an hour on a long stretch of highway across Arizona or Nevada. Opening kicker "Can't Get Enough" blasts into overdrive right from the get-go with a nice speedy washboard riff that sets the mood for the entire duration of the song. Once Alkman's chords come into the picture, though, it just seals the deal. Listening to a sophomore album like this (from a promising band like HELLFUELED) is kind of like watching back-to-back sequels of your favorite saga (like Star Wars). You experience the first one, and then when you watch the beginning of the second "episode", you immediately notice just how nicely it ties in with the previous one. Slowing things down a tad, "Regain Your Crown" is a groove-filled rocker some killer crunching guitar work. "Look Out" starts off with a killer echoing riff, which heads straight into a mid-tempo head-slammer. Nice - I repeat - NICE fill-ins and solo work by Lundgren.
The title track, "Born II Rock", is HELLFUELED's ode to rock 'n' roll, sending out the message: "If you were born to rock, don't stop!" The varied tempos in "Old", along with more stunning fretwork from Lundgren will tempt you to bring out your air guitar right away. "Girls Girls" has a nice chugging rhythm, as does "Angel", while the speedy "On The Run" will send you into a head-banging frenzy in no time flat, as will closer "I Don't Care". Saving the best for last, "Make It Home" is my favorite pick of the album. The steam-rolling rhythm is quite infectious and the soaring guitar solo will paralyze you where you stand and send shivers up your spine. Not a bad way to kick a headache if you ask me.
This is exactly what I expected from these guys the second time around. It's pretty obvious to me that the band know exactly what direction they want to head in as they continue to climb the ladder of their musical career. Quite frankly, it's refreshing to see a band like HELLFUELED contributing their piece to the metal genre. As I said earlier, originality goes a long way and if they can stay focused on what they're doing, I see no reason why they won't earn a one-way ticket to the road of longevity in the music business. HELLFUELED have another winning number on their hands here - no question about it. So if you want to take one hellacious ride on the steel highway, all you have to do is fill up your tank with some premium HELLFUELED-brand gas. You'll enjoy every minute of it.
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