Originally based in Norway Hangface has caused some what of a stir with their music that legendary producer Eddie Kramer was so impressed with them he shipped them over to the states to record this their debut album and hook them up with some heavy US management. They have been making a big noise in their native Norway since they formed back in 1999.

Hangface has the US market firmly in their sights with this release, with a sound that has been coming out of the US for the last few years with the likes of Creed, Nickelback and more recently Audioslave and Velvet Revolver. Opening up the album with 'Cancel Me' which gives you an instant feel for what the rest of the album will bring. It’s the grinding vocals of front man BJornar Flaa that make this album a definite US hit.

The title track Freakshow is almost Stiltskin with its rolling vocals and seminal guitars. The power is turned on once again with ‘Down’ a powerful track that is very Alice in Chains and is one of my favourite tracks on the album.  Wait is another of the slower paced moody tracks on the album but still holds its own along side the more rockier tracks on the album. A couple of these tracks are the outstanding ‘Ultimate Man’ and ‘Move On’.

Freakshow is a great radio album that will almost certainly make a big impression on the US market. The album could have done with a few more faster paced tracks just to break it up a little but this is the only fault that I can pick from this album and if that’s all that I can find wrong with it that isn’t a bad thing. Definitely a band to watch out for in the future.