HELLFUELED – Born II Rock

There is no doubt that this Swedish foursome are huge fans of the true Heavy Rock King, Ozzy Osbourne, and the music from Black Sabbath. From the first song to the last on this release, is it too obvious. It’s almost like they try too hard, but it is a fact that the songs from Hellfueled seem to sound a lot fresher and in-your-face than Ozzy’s previous efforts. However, it is unlikely that this release will put the band on the international Heavy Metal map, and this can hardly be considered their masterpiece.

Born II Rock was released in Europe and Japan in October, 2005, and it is the second album from the band, which includes 11 intense tracks. After a few spins, it is clear that this album is structured to be straightforward heavy rock anthems. This most certainly will color the listeners first impression of the CD as a whole, but that impression will probably soon change as there is more to the album, like some sing-a-long tracks with nerve and nice heavy rock gestures. It takes a few listens to really see what Hellfueled are trying to do with this album. Of course, it has some dark passages, but it is also filled with uplifting parts as well.

The ultimate ear-catcher is the opener “Can’t Get Enough,” which also is the longest track of the album –- clocking in at 4 minutes. Hellfueled is into short songs … commonly, most are 3 minutes, and that is not necessarily a good thing! It is obligatory to include a few shorter tracks on a CD, but not every song. “Don’t Care” is a great song too. The guitar work here is amazing! Riffs, riffs, and again riffs from a guitar virtuoso! There are also many great solos, but the guitarist never overdoes it on that aspect.

A nice CD, and a must have for the lovers of excellent guitar play and guitar experimentations, but not a top release. This is standard Hard Rock, not bad at all, but nothing overly special! For the fans of this genre and the ones that are missing a true and really good release by Ozzy, this album could be the perfect choice even if the sound has developed into a much heavier direction, without losing the sense of melody.

Lineup

Andy Alkman – vocals
Kent Svensson – drums
Jocke Lundgren – guitar
Henke Lönn – bass