HELLANBACH — Out To Get You (review)

HELLANBACH — Out To Get You album cover EP · 1980 · NWoBHM Buy this album from MMA partners
2/5 ·
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That said, it's fascinating as a historical document, and of real interest to those who enjoy technique.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.
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