It has been two years since I last heard some news from the HELLFUELED camp. It was when I reviewed the band's last work entitled Born II Rock. I remember that despite my first enthusiasm that album was not meant to rock. Two years later the band returns with one more full-length effort trying to prove that their last album was just a not so good move. Let's see if the slamming the band went through had any effect on them.
The Swedish metallers were formed in 1998 in Huskvarna, Sweden. Since then, the line up still remains the same. Anyway, since I have mentioned some bio stuff on my last review on them, I think it will be a bit tiring repeating the same things. The fact is that the band releases its third full-length album, again through the also Swedish Black Lodge Records. Since Black Lodge has used us to good releases, I hope this album will match the band's earlier good stuff.
The first time I came across HELLFUELED was when I had purchased their EP Midnight Lady (2005). I was impressed by the energy this band could produce, but for unknown until now reasons I never bought their Volume One (2004) album. I later had the chance to review their second album, Born II Rock. I was not as excited with their last album as I was with their first works. Since I believe in this band, I was impatient to place this album in my CD player. Upon pressing the play button, I faced what I expected to face. HELLFUELED are finally starting to create a more personal sound!
The sound remains heavy as fuck and this is not only something that Lundgren's guitar creates, but it is also due to Mr. Fredrik Nordstrom's incredible production. Ozzy's and Wylde's ghosts still haunt the microphone and the guitar, but the band has left the copy/paste method behind. They have now crafted a much heavier style that reminds of bands like CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, KYUSS and of course BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. The only thing that remains 100% the same is Alkman's voice, which resembles to Ozzy's insane vocals. Maybe this is just something that will never change and some of you may find this similarity a bit disturbing. The fact is that in this album, the rhythm section has moved one step forward and the work that Lonn and Svensson have done can be described as the least magnificent!
HELLFUELED just made the first step to something much bigger! The band shows its incredible talent and I am pretty sure that their next work will be even better. I think that Memories In Black s the band's answer to what many people (including me) said regarding their Born II Rock album. They strike back and they are ready to kick your ass!