I have always known that usually the well known Perris Records, that once held some of the greatest American bands of Hard Rock / Glam Metal, were used to sign the following Metal subgenres. When I encountered the e-mail from the Swedish HELLSPRAY, I was sure it was one of the new age Glam Metal outfits that were insanely heavy and true to the American scene. However, while travelling through the midst of their debut album, "Part Of The Solution", great artwork by the way, I bumped into some serious type of aggressive manner under the banner of Heavy Metal that sometimes fumed towards the realms of Groove and even an old kind of METALLICA Thrash.

Through current in their approach to Metal music, with fists held high with bursts en route for the "Into Your Face" attitude, in general, I sensed that old glimmer towards the classics like IRON MAIDEN, BLACK SABBATH and DIO. "Part Of The Solution" is more or less a sort of a taste venue where you can have a quick bite from nearly every corner in classic Metal under the cloak of the modern sound production that did them justice. I noticed throughout the songs, and the difference between them, that HELLSPRAY tried to be diverse in their music in order not to bore. Nonetheless, I still couldn't sum this release as a magnet of hits even though it seemed to me that the HELLSPRAY thought of everything while arranging this album. Not all the songs made my impression rise to higher levels, yet I found a great basis here for well performed and written Heavy Metal music.

A great flow of music from the robust "Artificial Love" that inhibited the growling vocals of the band's vocalist, Anders Moberg, which were like a bombshell, and not a bad one, right when I was just beginning to think highly of his Bruce Dickinson meets Tom Englund (EVERGREY) voice pattern. "Mr. Hyde", the notorious legendary monster of the bizarre Dr. Jekyll, surged like a blistering bomb following patterns of the melodic characteristics of IRON MAIDEN, GAMMA RAY and several oriented aspects of  the Dio era of BLACK SABBATH along with an extra modern toughness of an American nature. The opening riff might sound banal a bit yet it lifted the track with its 80s notation. "Mind Over Matter", the best of the original songs presented, with exception of heavy bolter of THE CARDIGANS cover of "Favorite Game" that made more than just an honor to the famous Swedish Pop / Rock, sounded like one of the earlier EVERGREY tracks of the late 90s. I liked the energies that this song posses, the vocals are amazing an flowing, the riffages blast with melodies and harmonies along with fist throwing modern kick downers.

In the bottom line, I suggest that you log in to the Perris Records website and buy this album. HELLSPRAY may not be perfect on "Part Of The Solution" but they sure tried and made a fine job in the process.