24 years. That’s how long Swedish sleaze-metal rockers Hardcore Superstar have existed. During that time they have released 11 albums. Nothing much happened for the first few years and four albums for the band. They got their breakthrough with their self-titled 2005 black album and since then their popularity has grown a little bit by each album. Almost. For the last few albums it has felt like the band has been treading water some, popularity-wise which is strange as the only blotch in their archive is the 2015 release HCSS. Why Hardcore Superstar hasn’t climbed up to mega-band status by now is beyond me but kudos the guys for never stop trying. Their last album You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘N’ Roll came out in 2018 and was a real grower for me. What started out as a decent release is now one of my favorite records by the band and my expectations on them are high for this release – just like it has always been.
The album opens with the title-track and latest single in full blast. It’s a heavy, rhythmic and quite aggressive number that throws a nod back to said black album. It’s a real banger, something to raise your fist and yell to, something to bang your head ’til your necks are breaking to. It’s a real powerhouse of a tune but it’s not without melody at all – the chorus grabs a hold hard and never lets go. The album couldn’t have started any better. “Influencer”, a stab at the most unnecessary thing in the world – influencers – is a sweaty rocker, quite sleaze-fueled on a groveling groove and an early 90’s touch. It’s a lively, upbeat number with a chorus with a bite. Good one.
Also released as a single, “Forever And A Day” comes in a mid-pace and even though it holds some steady, solid beats and some edgy riffage, the melodies here are quite pop-laden at the same time. It’s a pretty direct number where the band has embraced their inner 80’s with the big sing-along begging chorus as the icing on the cake. Great stuff. One of the first singles released prior to the album was “Weep When You Die”, a heavy and darker laden number in a slower tempo. It’s a slammin’ 80’s meets 90’s hard-rocker with a catchy guitar line and a headbang-friendly groove. The chorus do have an intense hook and I like the tune but something in it doesn’t make it all the way through for me.
“Give Me A Smile” is another sharp riffer, heavy and ballsy with a gritty outlook. It’s a raw and dirty sounding number with a sleazy vibe on a stompy rhythm. The song’s refrain slows things down a bit while not losing any heaviness. The vocal melodies are all distinct and chorus is quite beefy with a crunchy hook. It’s a god song where the verse is better than the chorus. Leading single “Catch Me If You Can” is a fast, energetic, rowdy and firey number with a sparking intensity. That said, it left me a bit confused the first time I heard it and it still does. Sure, it sounds like classic HCSS but the melodies never strikes and the chorus isn’t hooky enough. It’s not bad but it’s underwhelming. Why this was chosen as the first single – or a single at all – is beyond me. It’s more of a deep-cut.
The slammin’ Hard Rock belter “One For All” is a rowdy and robust rocker, very much classic black-album HCSS. It’s a song made for the stage with a fist-pumping rhythm, gritty guitars and a poppy na-na-na-na in the catchy as hell chorus, made for chanting along to. It’s hard with lots of attitude yet still very melodic, just like we want out HCSS party anthems. Damn good one. The single “Dream In Red” is another heavy and edgy rocker. It’s somewhat bluesy, it sports a steady beat which makes for a kicking groove and it holds some fat and rough guitars. The main-melody is strong and memorable and the chorus is, without going Pop on us, easily embraced and sticks right from go. A great song that should’ve resulted in some major rock-radio airplay.
More classic HCSS comes along in the beefy and heavily grooved “Throw A Brick”, a muscular, chunky and sleazy Hard Rock slammer with shitloads attitude and edge. It’s a fuel-to-the-fire and gut-punching facemelter of a song with a massive guitar sound and an intense chorus-hook that kicks ass and kicks up dust, again perfect for the stage. Very good. Closing track and single “Fighter” is a stripped down and mellow ballad based on only vocals and acoustic guitar with the bass joining in for the second verse. It might be a laid-back tune but it still holds a bite and comes of as positive in all its melancholy – a ballad with a crunch, some stand-out vocal melodies and a memorable refrain. Very good.
While I get the band’s talk of going back to the black album – it do hold a lot of that record’s spirit, sound and song structure – it’s not as strong, unfortunately. I get the same feeling as I got from Beg For It (2009) – a good album that’s a couple of steps from being as great as many of its predecessors. It’s all HCSS through and through and there are a bunch of damn good songs on here but there are also a few too many that are just good and a couple of fillers. At times it feels like the guys’ well of ideas has dried out a bit and the catchiness that the band’s usually so good at capturing is missing here and there. I repeat – it’s a good album but it’s not one of their strongest efforts.
6/10
More Hardcore Superstar reviews:
Split Your Lip
C’mon Take On Me
HCSS
You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘N’ Roll
Tracklist:
1. Abrakadabra
2. Influencer
3. Forever And A Day
4. Weep When You Die
5. Give Me A Smile
6. Catch Me If You Can
7. One For All
8. Dreams In Red
9. Throw A Brick
10. Fighter
CD & Festival reviews 