release date: Sep. 1, 2008
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,06]
producer: Jacob Hansen
label: Mascot Records - nationality: Denmark
Track highlights: 3. "Back to Prom" - 4. "Mary Ann's Place" - 6. "Maybellene i hofteholder"
3rd studio album by Volbeat following 1½ years after Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil (Feb. 2007) is also the band's third with Jacob Hansen as producer. The album is the first to feature new guitarist Thomas Bredahl, who replaced Franz Gottschalk after the 2007-album.
Stylewise, it seems the band attempts to continue on a musical path laid-out by their most popular song from the predecessor "A Garden's Tale". It's no longer only blazing and simple heavy metal and rockabilly but a turn to more sophisticated compositions. And speaking of which, previously lead vocalist Michael Poulsen was credited all the band's songs but here he is only credited as sole songwriter and composer of five of the album's 14 songs. Seven are co-composed with mostly new guitarist Thomas and / or bassist Anders Kjølholm and drummer Jon Larsen. Two songs are old classic covers (tracks #11 by Hank Williams, and #14 by Jimmy Work).
The album is not bad, although, it's still rockabilly and heavy metal but here they have simply produced better material and turned down the pure metal grinding machine and added a few nice sing-a-long choruses here and there. It's pretty much like a rewind to the better follow-up to the debut album.
In my mind, this is the band's best album, but it's still not really recommended.
