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VOLBEAT ‘The Strength/The Sound/The Songs’ Rebel Monster (2005)
I trust that you all remember how the music press was once referring to the Guns n' Roses phenomenon as the most dangerous band in the world. Even though I really liked albums like "Appetite for Destruction" and "Lies", I still believe that this was quite an exaggerated description of the band's music. How relevant is this to the release of Volbeat's debut album? Quite relevant indeed, since the quartet that hails from Copenhagen managed, with their very first attempt, to release an album, which meets these exact criteria!
I received positive feedback from many different people prior to listening to "The Strength / The Sound / The Songs", and I found that the answer to such a justifiable reaction lies in the actual album title. What's on offer here are fifteen powerful and equally impressive songs, with the most killer sound that I have heard in ages! Yes, Volbeat's musical platform is the crossroads where the grooviness of Black Sabbath meets the raw energy of Metallica (Garage Inc era), and the result is simply mind-blowing!
The album kicks off with "Caroline Leaving", and so did my addiction to Volbeat's music. Apart from the flamboyant guitar riffs and the majestic bass tunes which were present there, I was happily surprised by Michael Poulsen's outstanding vocals! His contribution in the creation of "The Strength / The Sound / The Songs" is undoubtedly the strongest point of the album, and the further you get into the album, the more clear this will become. This fifteen track album goes though many different moods and styles, both classic and modern, and I urge you to pay equal attention to all of them, but I will have no hesitation in pointing out "Another Day, Another Way", "Rebel Monster" and "Soulweeper" as the best songs of the album. Ah, those of you who got their hands on the latest Misfits album, might like to listen to Volbeat's cover of "I only want to be with you" - just to make a small comparison!
It is not often that a debut album has such a strong effect on me, but on the other hand, it is not everyday that you get to listen to albums such as "The Strength / The Sound / The Songs". I don't know whether the members of Volbeat are well aware of the fact that they released one of the most impressive albums for 2005, but I bet you that many of my fellow-journalists will make sure of this!
****½
Review by John Stefanis
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