HELLANBACH — Now Hear This (review)

Album · 1983 · NWoBHM

3/5 · 2011-01-13
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.