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volbeat outlawgentlemen
Artist: Volbeat
Title: Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies
Genre: Heavy Metal / Alternative Metal
Release Date: 9th April 2013
Label: Universal / Republic Records


Album Review

Suppose you jump into the Delorean, as another MacFly, to pay a visit into the not so distant 1955. And let’s say you want to play music, much like Michael J. Fox did, during the school dance. You choose between:
a) Some generic hard tunes imitating Chuck Berry, Hendrix and The Who
b) Venom – In League with Satan (just for the hell of it)
c) Motörhead – Killed by Death (in order to show’em all not only your music abilities but also that you’re in touch with Philosophy!)
d) Volbeat – I Only Want To Be With You (you can always blame gravity for the jaw-dropping effect)

A: Look for a job with Zemeckis. You have the ‘it’ for the movie industry.
B: Naughty you! Go to jail, this is the clean-cut 1955.
C: Fantastic, but I’m afraid the teens would be passing out before the song would be over. Get ready to spend some time in jail.
D: Admittedly this is the more mainstream choice. It’s Heavy Metal that doesn’t alienate the listeners and offers tons of fun.

And the truth is, apart from this small introduction, VOLBEAT, have returned with their fifth album, to play the music they want to play that is the fruitful combination of rather distinguished styles varying between JOHNNY CASH and SLAYER. In the meantime they make a small stop somewhere in the 19th century’s Wild West to pay a tribute to the Western not only as a cinematographic genre but to its music too. Their collaboration with Sarah Blackwood in the ‘Lonesome Rider’ literally transforms the chorus parts of the song to sheer brilliance.

But what is really interesting is that they exceed themselves and they look like they are unstoppable in doing so. Take for example their collaboration with KING DIAMOND; the ‘Room 24’ is something that makes both of the artists proud as it combines the idiosyncratic style and vocals of DIAMOND, heavy, almost doom-like guitars and bass with the catchiness that runs in the veins of VOLBEAT. Hence the results; catchy tunes to the point of being almost pop like in the ‘Cape of our Hero’, a harmonica that will bring to your mind something from Morricone’s score in ‘Once Upon The Time In The West’ in the ‘Our Loved Ones’, ballads, their very characteristic combination of Country and Rockabilly, classic Heavy Metal, banjo and pure Thrash Metal as in the ‘Doc Holliday’ and a cover of YOUNG THE GIANT’s ‘My Body’.

I think one of the key features of the success of this album is the presence of Rob Caggiano (ex-ANTHRAX). Originally he was hired to help with the overall production of this album and to play in some of the songs but at the end he joined the band and he provided not just some heavy hooks but more importantly he contributed to the density and harmonious combination of various motifs and styles in the ‘Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies’. Less growls more fun, this is the motto that is dominant in this album. It serves the band right as it offers them more expression in their songs and a bigger ability to interchange between the styles without looking unnatural. In other words, this album is meant to be the greatest VOLBEAT’s success, maybe till the next one. To say that it brings a breath of fresh air into Metal may sound as a dead metaphor but at the same time is true. An un-missable album!


Album Player




Music Video


Volbeat - The Hangman's Body Count on MUZU.TV


Tracklist

01. Let’s Shake Some Dust
02. Pearl Heart
03. The Nameless One
04. Dead But Rising
05. Cape of Our Hero
06. Room 24
07. The Hangman’s Body Count
08. My Body
09. Lola Montez
10. Black Bart
11. Lonesome Rider
12. The Sinner is You
13. Doc Holliday
14. Our Loved Ones


Line-up

Michael Poulsen - Guitar/Vocals
Jon Larsen - Drums
Anders Kjølholm - Bass
Rob Caggiano - Guitar


Websites

http://www.volbeat.dk / http://www.facebook.com/volbeat


Cover Picture

volbeat outlawgentlemen


Rating

Music: 9
Sound: 10
Extras: several different versions incl. ltd. Box set
Total: 9.5 / 10





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