Artist: Hell In The Club 
   Title: Let The Games Begin
   Label: Avenue Of Allies

Coming out of Italy like a bat out of hell are Hell In The Club, a band that have more elements than the Periodic Table, mixing the heady Sunset Strip hard rock of the eighties with the Scandinavian swagger of the likes of the Backyard Babies with the Glam of The Poodles, in an album that will rock your very foundations.

Coming from a back ground of Heavy Metal bassist Andrea Buratto of Secret Sphere wanted to put together an all together different animal taking in the influences of the likes of KISS, Crue and Skid Row to name a few.  First thing to be sorted was to put together a band with this same vision in mind, which he did by recruiting into the fold the talents of session guitarist Andrea Piccardi. These two musicians decided to work on the songs before bringing in a singer, although this was soon rectified with Elvenking’s Davide Moras signing up for the role.  All that was left was the vacant drum school and Buratto didn’t have to go far as fellow Secret Sphere sticks man Federico Pennazzato became the final piece in the Hell In The Club puzzle.

So on to the album itself, now this is what I call a real kick-ass rock n' roll album!  Shooting from the hip right from the off with ‘Never Turn My Back’, featuring lashings of ballsy riffs and hard hitting rhythms with Moras outstanding vocals that really gets the album off to a fantastic start.

That great good time rock n' roll continues with the hard rockin’ 'Rock Down This Place’ with its anthemic chorus that has an air of modern rock that will connect not just the younger rockers, but also the older rockers as it has that Sunset Strip feel about it that appeals to many older rocker like myself.  All in all a great demographic to appeal to for any band.

There are many great tracks on this album and one of my favourites has to be ‘On The Road’ which is the first single from the album and definitely that has that Scandinavian feel about it.  Think of the likes of H.E.A.T. and The Poodles and you won't be far away.

Another of my favourite tracks has to be the all out rockin’ of ‘Natural Born Rockers’, very much in the vain of Skid Row it's fast paced and head-on, with Piccardi doing a damn fine job on the six string razor as he powers out lick after mother f**king lick, while Buratto and Pennazzato pound out a powerful back-beat.

The band bring the Sunset sound kicking and screaming into the now with the excellent ‘Since You’re Not Here’, the superb funked up feel of ‘Another Saturday Night’ and the thumping ‘Raise Your Drinking Glass'.

The band really turn up the heat with the heavy vibes with the punchy rock of ‘No Appreciation’ and ‘Forbidden Fruit’, again bringing that Skid Row feel to proceedings with these two gems.

If you're going to pay tribute to the bands of the eighties then you have to include a power ballad and the band do this in style with the stunning ‘Star’, this is the band's 'Every Rose Has It's Thorn' moment.

It's back to the rockier tunes with the Stevie Salas funked up sound of ‘Daydream Boulevard’ before the album closes as it started with the hard rocking sound of ‘Don’t Throw In The Towel’.

This is a real ballsy debut release from a band that make real in roads on the rock scene in 2011 mark my words.  Let's hope that there are a few promoters out there who get to hear these guys and get them on tour, either as headliners or support slots, because I’m sure these songs should be heard loud and proud in the live arena.

Tracklisting:

1. Never Turn My Back
2. Rock Down This Place
3. On The Road
4. Natural Born Rockers
5. Since You're Not Here
6. Another Saturday Night
7. Raise Your Drinkin' Glass
8. No Appreciation
9. Forbidden Fruit
10. Star
11. Daydream Boulevard
12. Don't Throw In The Towel

                  

 

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