Even with the trend of going back to the lessons given by Metal and Hard Rock of the 80s and 70s, there are bands looking for something that is hidden even far on the past. Again the same words: you can use old formulas, no one is saying that you can’t do it, but you must do things on your own, without copying, as a new band playing with an old musical formula. This lesson deceives many, but there are those able to find something of their own, as the Swedish quartet DICTATOR SHIP that’s back for another round with “Electric Jihad”. Their music is just a pure and simple form of Rock ‘n’ Roll of the end of the 50s and 60s, with some elements of 70s Hard Rock into the mix and even touches, tons of Groove and Bluesy touches. Just to give a reference for the readers, it sounds as a more primitive and free of conceptions Rock ‘n’ Roll form of what THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA used to be on “Internal Affairs”. It’s frantic, full of energy, organic and hooking as a Cenobite of Clive Barker’s “Hellraiser”, so what are you expecting to dive into it?

Recorded at The Dustward Studio (Stockholm), “Electric Jihad” was produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by Stefan Brändström and co-produced by the quartet. All the efforts were done in a way to create a defined sonority, but with instrumental tunes that denounces that they refused to use digital audio workstations or gears that could make things ‘digital’. All sounds handmade, but with care to set things clean for the hearers. And the percussions of the album were played by Jouni Haapala.

“Electric Jihad” is that kind of album that you can hear without having anything in mind that isn’t to have a good time, especially on moments as “And Then I Heard About the Groove” (a frantic and straight Rock ‘n’ Roll song with elements used by acts as THE BEATLES and THE WHO), “Electric Jihad” (a classic Rock ‘n’ Roll moment filled with a massive energy and very good vocals and backing vocals), “City Girl” (an accessible song filled with fine and catchy melodies, and what lovely simple guitars, and something inherited of Chuck Berry works can be heard on the harmonies), “Sorry State” (here one can check how Blues and Boogie were important to the sedimentation of Rock ‘n’ Roll, with very good bass playing and drumming), “Losing Ground” (another accessible moment inherited from early Rock ‘n’ Roll days, with the same appeal that put the conservative in USA with hairs in hands), “Terror” (here the band uses a more elaborated set of harmonies and melodies, without losing its melodic grasp), and “Resignation Boogie”. But remember one thing: this album is homogeneous, so you can easily hear all the songs without problems.

As final words, “Electric Jihad” is really a fine release in what it stands for, so praise DICTATOR SHIP for such offering.