Volbeat - Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood
1. End Of The Road
2. Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood
3. Back To The Prom
4. Mary Ann’s Place
5. Hallelujah Goat
6. Maybellene I Hofteholder
7. We
8. Still Counting
9. Light A Way
10. Wild Rover Of Hell
11. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
12. Broken Man And The Dawn
13. Find That Soul
14. Making Believe (Bonus Track)
If you haven’t heard of Volbeat yet then I suggest you find out because, as far as I’m concerned, they’re one of the only decent metal bands to have come out in the past few years. Peddling their unique style of soulful, 50’s inspired metal, Danes Volbeat encompass this juxtaposition of seeming contradictions: a wistful, metallic, lovelorn and pumping attack which is jaw droppingly listenable. Equal measures Metallica, the Ramones and Elvis Presley, Volbeat are a force to be reckoned with in today’s largely mundane and one-dimensional metal scene.
The first few tracks have a clear concept, evoking lyrically a Hopper-esque America of red boothed milkshake bars, pastel coloured Cadillac’s, grease-slicked black hair and teens sweatily jiving to good old rock n’ roll. The interesting thing about the whole thing is that this is done with a metal soundtrack. A glimpse into what might have happened if Elvis, Fats Domino and co. had Marshall stacks perhaps? The pop hooks are relentless, as is the heaviness of the band exemplified on the anthemic track We and then Still Counting, respectively. Throughout the rest of the album there are country style breaks complete with pedal steel guitar and metal riffs reminiscent of Slayer yet all topped off and laced together coherently with singer Michael Poulsen’s powerful croon.
Volbeat are a unique band, taking inspiration from a place that not many metalheads think about, so for that, this album is definitely worth a listen. However, the songs are also excellent quality and could easily lead Volbeat to stadium audiences one day, they’re certainly not some lacklustre gimmick. It is also worth a mention that Volbeat are also, to top it off, a great live band. If that hasn’t convinced you yet then I don’t know what will.
Review by Liam McLaughlin
Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood is out now on Mascot Records
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