release date: Jun. 3, 2016
format: digital (2 cd) (Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,78]
producer: Jacob Hansen; Michael Poulsen & Rob Caggiano
label: Vertigo / Universal Music - nationality: Denmark
Track highlights: 2. "Marie Laveau" - 3. "For evigt" (feat. Johan Olsen) (live) - 4. "The Gates of Babylon" - 5. "Let It Burn" - - Disc 2: 2. "The Bliss"
6th studio album by Volbeat released more than three years following Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies (Apr. 2013). The album is the band's so far only to be released as a trio with founding members, band leader and primary songwriter and composer Michael Poulsen and drummer Jon Larsen together with Rob Caggiano, who is not only credited as lead guitarist but also as bassist after longtime member bassist Anders Kjølholm left the band in 2015. One month prior to the album release, it was announced that Kaspar Boye Larsen would be the band's new bassist. The standard release contains 13 tracks, whereas the 2-disc Deluxe Edition adds four tracks to the album of which track #2 is an English version of "For evigt" with Mia Maja as (hardly noticeable) additional vocalist.
Musically, the band continues in the same circles, or you might suggest: on the exact same spot, as it sounds like yet another extension to what they did on their previous two releases. But that's just my opnion. Poulsen's vocal hardly ever leaves a fixed register and the guitars repeat 1970s melodic hard rock notes while song choruses repeat familiar choruses from other songs - only with some new words as only difference. The band's previous big hit "The Garden's Tale" featuring Johan Olsen from Magtens Korridorer has actually been surpassed by the band's new huge hit song "For evigt" again featuring Olsen on additional vocal. That song has by now nearly gained status as an alternative national anthem. A few fine songs just don't make the whole big difference for a band who seems to be satisfied in reproducing itself - indefinitely. After a few highlights - where you still notice the band's reproductive sound and melody structures, the album simply fades, approaching mediocre.
Track #3 aside, this is not recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]
