Monday, July 2, 2012

Volbeat: Beyond Hell/Above Heaven



This band is hot right now, and I mean HOT. No homo or anything but they are tearing up the radio plays as well as their live shows. I have seen them twice now and both times they absolutely killed it. This is their latest album, "Beyond Hell/Above Heaven", which carries on the story of Mr. Cadillac from the album "Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood." "A Warriors Call" from this album was #1 on the radio for I don't know how many weeks and now "Still Counting" from their previous album is #1 on the radio. These guys are doing it right.

Ok music wise, if you like Metal, Rock and Roll, Johnny Cash, and Elvis, than these guys are perfect for you. The lead singer Michael Poulson has a very unique voice and uses it well to suite the songs they play. Take "The Mirror and the Ripper" for instance. Try singing the first minute of the song and you will make yourself look foolish, I know I do. But in all seriousness there are 13 songs on this cd, and I consider 10-11 of them to be top notch songs as of right now, and the other to being ok rock songs but still listenable. "Fallen" is a great slower tune whereas "Evelyn" brings in Napalm Death singer "Barney", and it is a killer ass track. Same goes for the song "7 Shots", which features Kreator's Mille Petrozza, and is also a very awesome heavier song yet still keeping the Johnny Cash spirit alive. OH, and guess who's playing with them on lead guitar for their summer touring and has been with them for a year or so? HANK SHERMAN of Mercyful Fate, seriously, if these guys come to town, check em out. Well how does this album shape up to their previous? Well they have kept the same rhythm throughout, if that makes any sense, just pure rock and roll metal and obvious influence from Elvis and Cash, trust me, it's a good thing, and hopefully you'll become as hooked as I am.

Highlights and Scoring

Overall this is a great album, plenty of good tracks and Volbeat keeps doing what they do great, and the addition of the songs "Evelyn" and "7 Shots" should please hardcore metalheads, and other tracks such as "Fallen", "Warriors Call", and "The Mirror and the Ripper" will keep regular rock and rollas happy. Oh yes and check out "16 Dollars" for a great fast tune, and hell they even made a thank you track to the fans titled "Thanks." I've going to put some links here to songs, I may keep doing this on every review and I may not, just one or two highlight tracks.


9.3/10


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