The Hellacopters
Super Shitty to the Max
Man’s Ruin
Talk about a hype machine! The Hellacopters were literally pitched to me from all directions. And now I see what the hype is all about.
They were originally described to me as (after having to explain to the promo person what kind of music I “liked”) “… the MC5 meets Black Sabbath.” After listening to Super Shitty to the Max I’m inclined to agree.
Sweden’s Hellacopters seem to take solid, heavy Sabbath-esque riffs and play them with psychedelic power guitar with the effect sounding like KISS playing “Kick Out the Jams” repeatedly.
The first song off Super Shitty to the Max , “(Gotta Get Some Action) NOW!” sounds like a biker/Viking call to arms right before a rampage through the neighboring villages. “24 h Hell” and “Fire Fire Fire” are two great heavy numbers along the lines of what Nashville Pussy and REO Speedealer belt out; they’re nothing but raw, driving powerful rock and roll. “Born Broke” sounds like the Hellacopters are, in reality, the bastard children of Motorhead. “Tab” is a sloppy, strange drug-addled blues that might be a recess from all the rock violence, were it not for the super-heavy guitar solos. It’s impressive that the Hellacopters can be so heavy, and psychedelic and keep great grooves going. This album is a winner, thirteen songs in all, no bullshit. Man’s Ruin Records, 610 22nd Street #302, San Francisco, CA 94107
