The new album rocks! Looks like I'll have to get it.
Looks like I got too much time so unluckily for you, you get a song by song!
The Mirror and The Ripper - A typically rollicking Volbeat tune. Starting with those cool as hell rapidfire, hillbilly vox and then settling to a big melodic tune with pacy jaunty riffs.
Heaven Nor Hell - A rock and roll tune with harmonica and something like AC/DC going 50s Elvis or Bill Haley. The melody in the chorus is just scrumptious. A great little harmonica solo and just a grin inducing tune.
Who They Are - The start is complete Metallica circa Black album imagine something like Sad But True and then it settles into a thumping almost thrash framework something like Holier Than Thou. Michael's vox are more aggressive and this song is very heavy and features much more intricate riffs rather than the simplicity but then the chorus comes along and again it's big sugar time before the verses return to thrash. A great song of contrasts which works perfectly for me.
Fallen - Back to lighter territory with Michael crooning vocals over a simple chord before that regular Volbeat trait of rocking along simple riffing comes into view allowing Michael's vocals to take center stage. Another really enjoyable tune.
A Better Believer - A faster jauntier 50s-ish riff and a typical vocal with that sweet melody that only he can deliver. Sure they can probably write this song in their sleep now and after so many albums there's no surprises but who can resist these sweet melodies.
7 Shots - A semi acoustic start with a slightly different feel almost spaghetti western like in scope which then goes into a regular volbeat stompathon and in fact sounds brilliant to be honest. This song guests your man Mille Petrozza of Kreator fame and he sounds well cool when mixed in with Michael's vox. Love the beat and pace of this song and the vocal melodies are to die for. Could be my fave song on the album.
A New Day - This song uses the same riff as that Queens of the Stone Age song, the famous one which I forget the name of. That soon gives way to a groovy simplistic riff once again Michael does his melodic thing over the top. An enjoyable tune not the best but even an average Volbeat tune is fun.
16 Dollars - Love this tune. This song is a homage to Aerosmith/Run DMC's Walk This Way done in fast 50s rockabilly style. The song just is flat out fun and huge grin inducing whilst making you wanna get up and boogie.
Warrior's Call - One of the heavier songs on the album and released as the first single. Pretty cool tune about some boxing match as I recall. This sounds like Metallica jamming with Elvis and plain rocks! This would be a monster cool tune live probably.
Magic Zone - A jolly and melodic tune with a great happy and bouncy rock and roll riff and equally joyful vocal melody. A song very hard to resist. Just a delicious melody.
Evelyn - A very heavy song with a hardcore-y feel with guest vocals from the grindfather, Barney Greenway from the legends Napalm Death. Michael is a huge Napalm fan as I've read in interviews hence asking Barney to do vocals for this song. You can't understand Barney's vox and it doesn't quite fit as well as Mille's vox did but the actual song is awesome. The chorus which is melodic and sung by Michael obviously is just pure ear candy again. This song will grow on you even if you don't like Barney's infamous roar but i actually do being a massive ND fan myself.
Being 1 - A fast paced semi acoustic jolly tune similar to 16 Dollars earlier. Just infectious as hell - who can resist it's charms?
Finally we have the song Thanks - a tune written to the fans of the band since the beginning until now thanking them for the support. The song sounds 100% Green Day-ish with a typical Volbeatised edge but it's bloody damn catchy and would be amazing live no doubt.
So there you have it. An album full of fun and joy with a little heaviness here and there but all round even more melodic than their previous albums. You can tell the album was written to attract more fan's in America as the band is getting quite big over there since touring with Metallica. This album won't harm them at all in that respect and will again them even more fans and maybe some that are not even into metal if they weren't scared by Michael's mass of tattoos that is! Ok I'll shut the fuck up now....
Looks like I got too much time so unluckily for you, you get a song by song!
The Mirror and The Ripper - A typically rollicking Volbeat tune. Starting with those cool as hell rapidfire, hillbilly vox and then settling to a big melodic tune with pacy jaunty riffs.
Heaven Nor Hell - A rock and roll tune with harmonica and something like AC/DC going 50s Elvis or Bill Haley. The melody in the chorus is just scrumptious. A great little harmonica solo and just a grin inducing tune.
Who They Are - The start is complete Metallica circa Black album imagine something like Sad But True and then it settles into a thumping almost thrash framework something like Holier Than Thou. Michael's vox are more aggressive and this song is very heavy and features much more intricate riffs rather than the simplicity but then the chorus comes along and again it's big sugar time before the verses return to thrash. A great song of contrasts which works perfectly for me.
Fallen - Back to lighter territory with Michael crooning vocals over a simple chord before that regular Volbeat trait of rocking along simple riffing comes into view allowing Michael's vocals to take center stage. Another really enjoyable tune.
A Better Believer - A faster jauntier 50s-ish riff and a typical vocal with that sweet melody that only he can deliver. Sure they can probably write this song in their sleep now and after so many albums there's no surprises but who can resist these sweet melodies.
7 Shots - A semi acoustic start with a slightly different feel almost spaghetti western like in scope which then goes into a regular volbeat stompathon and in fact sounds brilliant to be honest. This song guests your man Mille Petrozza of Kreator fame and he sounds well cool when mixed in with Michael's vox. Love the beat and pace of this song and the vocal melodies are to die for. Could be my fave song on the album.
A New Day - This song uses the same riff as that Queens of the Stone Age song, the famous one which I forget the name of. That soon gives way to a groovy simplistic riff once again Michael does his melodic thing over the top. An enjoyable tune not the best but even an average Volbeat tune is fun.
16 Dollars - Love this tune. This song is a homage to Aerosmith/Run DMC's Walk This Way done in fast 50s rockabilly style. The song just is flat out fun and huge grin inducing whilst making you wanna get up and boogie.
Warrior's Call - One of the heavier songs on the album and released as the first single. Pretty cool tune about some boxing match as I recall. This sounds like Metallica jamming with Elvis and plain rocks! This would be a monster cool tune live probably.
Magic Zone - A jolly and melodic tune with a great happy and bouncy rock and roll riff and equally joyful vocal melody. A song very hard to resist. Just a delicious melody.
Evelyn - A very heavy song with a hardcore-y feel with guest vocals from the grindfather, Barney Greenway from the legends Napalm Death. Michael is a huge Napalm fan as I've read in interviews hence asking Barney to do vocals for this song. You can't understand Barney's vox and it doesn't quite fit as well as Mille's vox did but the actual song is awesome. The chorus which is melodic and sung by Michael obviously is just pure ear candy again. This song will grow on you even if you don't like Barney's infamous roar but i actually do being a massive ND fan myself.
Being 1 - A fast paced semi acoustic jolly tune similar to 16 Dollars earlier. Just infectious as hell - who can resist it's charms?
Finally we have the song Thanks - a tune written to the fans of the band since the beginning until now thanking them for the support. The song sounds 100% Green Day-ish with a typical Volbeatised edge but it's bloody damn catchy and would be amazing live no doubt.
So there you have it. An album full of fun and joy with a little heaviness here and there but all round even more melodic than their previous albums. You can tell the album was written to attract more fan's in America as the band is getting quite big over there since touring with Metallica. This album won't harm them at all in that respect and will again them even more fans and maybe some that are not even into metal if they weren't scared by Michael's mass of tattoos that is! Ok I'll shut the fuck up now....
