Certif1ed I've already made the "Van Halenbach" joke, on the 19890 demo, but it bears repeating. I might add, Fair Warning...

Interesting, drop-D tuned power metal offering from Hellanbach, with strong flavours of Van Halen, just like their 1980 demo really, but with less Motorhead influence, better rehearsed and produced. Every song sounds like it might have been an outtake from VH's Fair Warning album, only rejected because of weaknesses in the songwriting rather than the performances or soloing.

There are tasty licks a-plenty, speedy soloing and drums, and nice, heavy production - but weak, weak vocals. Jimmy Brash would hardly have kept Diamond Dave awake at nights.

If you've read Eduardo Rivadavia's assessment of this band on Allmusic.com, you'll be intrigued to learn that, in fact, it's only the vocals that prevented Hellenbach from being a "good answer to Van Halen", as the intrumentalists are just fine, if somewhat lacking in originality. Dave Patton is an outstanding guitarist, with many fine flashes of inspiration.

Dancin' is a fast and furious romp through this style, and the band are really tight, giving it everything they've got, right from the core of their being.

The next track, Times Are Getting Harder doesn't deviate from the Van Halen soundalike - veering decidedly towards the heavy side, telling the rock and roll story well through the lyrics - again, the vocals in themselves let it down, and the constant Eddie style licks become a bit wearing - why not listen to Van Helen instead, is the temptation.

It's a pity, because it is true to say that the band are really, really good at playing in this difficult style, and flashes of originality and skull-shattering heaviness are on tantalising display.

As the album continues in the same vein throughout, there's not much to comment on, as we know now exactly what to expect - which is kinda good if you're a Van Halen fan and wished they'd done more heavy stuff (and are a secret DLR hater) but highlights include;

- Raven-style harmonics and flurries in the song "Look At Me" (probably following Hellenbach's signing to Raven's label, NEAT.

- More Raven influence and more speed in the song "All Systems Go" - my favourite track on the album. This is a killer, and highly recommended.

- Some really intense guitar work in "Maybe Tomorrow"

- Killer riffing in Motivated by Desire

- Skip to 3:00 of "Taken By Surprise", the song itself is rather sucky, but for 30 seconds, there is some really nice music.

- Proto thrashing in "Let's Get This Show on the Road". Solo is at 1:14, and is rather Diamond Head influenced - and sounds a bit like something that would later appear on Metallica's "Kill 'Em All" album, but better produced.

- Skip right over the aptly named "Kick It Out", this is nasty filler.

- All The Way has stronger melodies than most of the other songs, so is worth sticking with.

- The grand finale is a cover of "Everybody Wants To Be a Cat", from the Disney film "The Aristocats", and is a real hoot, although I rather feel that VH would have imbibed it with greater authenticity. That said, it's not a shabby performance at all - and the guitar solo is (literally) a scream. Truly inspired choice - I'd love to hear VH doing this... although they'd never dream of doing what Hellenbach do at 2:30, which is their finest moment on the whole album - I hesitate to say "in their whole career".

Seriously, check that last one out - if you're not familiar with it, it'll make you drop your pizza in your lap and spit your beer all over the cat.

With apologies to Hellenbach fans for the rather uncomfortable number of references to a certain American band...

Summary - finely produced album, as NEAT Records finally learned their way around a mixing desk in 1983, some awesome playing and kickass metal, but way too derivative and lacking in melody for my tastes.

Certif1ed Van Halenbach?

An interesting 4-track demo EP from a band touted as the UK's answer to Van Halen. At least, it's interesting from that point of view - the music's not particularly interesting, unfortunately.

Out To Get You:

High energy, tight, carefully thought-out piece - but ultimately generic and rather shoddily arranged - with a dynamite guitar solo, Motorhead drum beat and dull, flat vocals.

Light Of The World:

Again, plenty of energy, interesting vocal line and meandering bass, not yer standard four to the floor drums, and a blistering guitar solo with some precision shredding - very impressive for 1980, but again, generic and dull, feeling longer than its 2:47 running time.

Let's Get This Show On The Road:

Same Motorhead beat as Out To Get You, hi-octane energy, squealing Van Halen-esque solo - in fact, the entire song makes you think of a kind of poor man's Van Halen. It takes some doing to make a 2:24 song running at this kind of pace feel like it's dragging, but Hellenbach managed it.

Nobody's Fool:

You can tell they're trying - and that's the problem really. NWoBHM should be effortless - second nature stuff, while at the same time showcasing guys pushing their talents (and equipment) to the limit. Here, the talents are pushed eventually, but the ambition to be a second Van Halen gets in the way of any real interest in the music. Easily the weakest song on a demo which shouldn't be dull by all rights, theoretically, but nonetheless is.

That said, it's fascinating as a historical document, and of real interest to those who enjoy technique. The lead guitarist pushes the boat right out in his attempt to emulate Mr Van Halen - and this is only 2 years after said axemeister general unleashed himself on the rock world. The technique is well learned, and convincing. The other musicians do try, but occasionally, rather than as the rule, and the songwriting is too concerned with cloning than doing its own thing and being interesting and relevant.

It's a bit like listening to someone who played like Jimi Hendrix in 1969 - very tasteful and entertaining playing, but you'd rather have the real deal - and, of course, Jimi knew how to put together cool pieces of music over which to excercise his virtuosity.