During the 80s, to balance the mix between influences of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal wasn’t something easy. Many tried after having a career into the underground as a Heavy Metal act to use accessible elements on their music and failed to reach success (and they even lost their die-hard fans of the past in the same movement). Acts as PICTURE, RAVEN, SAVATAGE, JUDAS PRIEST, DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH, and even IRON MAIDEN (yes, they did it as well with the singles “Strangers in a Strange Land” and “Can I Play With Madness?”) used Hard Rock, Glam Metal and even AOR elements to improve the selling of their albums, but few were those who could balance things in a good way.

Today, a band can be born in such way and it can be praised, and if no one praised the Italian quartet HELL IN THE CLUB by now, it’s time for it. “F.U.B.A.R.” is an amazing album! The music of the band is accessible and even the Grandmas of the readers will love it due the elements of Hard Rock and Glam Metal presented on the quartet’s music; but at the same hand, their music has an abrasive and weighty outfit as well. It can be said as a band that brings the best of both worlds, but using a good technical level (without overloading things and damaging the accessible appeal of their music) and melodic arrangements like arrows that go straight to the hearts of the fans. Yes, it’s a ‘must be’ album for anyone with a good musical taste.

Simone Mularoni (who worked with the quartet on their previous releases since “Devil on My Shoulder”) is the one who signs the recordings, mixing and mastering of “F.U.B.A.R.”, earning the band a strong and clean sonority, but weighty and aggressive as well, and with an 80s organic feeling. It’s what the quartet’s music needs to sound alive and show its full potential. And the artwork created by Sheila Franco for the cover is really cool, and a bit different from the usual.

This musical formula isn’t new, but it gained an amazing new life on the hands of the quartet, as stated by songs as “Sidonie” (a fine combination between melodies, weight and aggressiveness, with some elements of the 80s and a very good chorus, with charming melodies, vocals and backing vocals), “The Arrival” (that is filled with a massive and melodic weight, with very good tempos and excellent guitars and arrangements), “Total Disaster” (anyone can be blown away by its intense melodic power based on a heavy rhythmic artillery of bass guitar and drums), “The Kid” (a very accessible song that is on that model that fits perfectly for a Single due its catchy ambiences), “Best Way of Life” (wow, excellent heavy melodies can be heard, with excellent Hell of guitar riffs and arrangements, along with a great chorus)… Oh, please, listen to “Cimitero Vivente”, “Sleepless”, “The End of All”, “Undertaker”, “Tainted Sky” and “Embrace the Sacrifice” as well, because they’re all great songs, all in the same level of quality.

Yes, HELL IN THE CLUB is a very good act in the genre, and “F.U.B.A.R.” came to be one of the biggest releases in the genre of this year.