The Hellacopters
Move Right Out of Here

On this cold November day, which began with the tragicomic news from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, I thought of the Swedish band Hellacopters and a single they released in 1999 as a corollary to their third album "Grande Rock".

For the very few who might not be aware of their musical history, I'll give a brief summary: born in the mid-nineties from the bright mind of Nicke Andersson, on a collision course and departed from Entombed (Death Metal with the famous counter-attributes), they opted to play a Hard-Rock-Garage with a marked Punk attitude. We are in the territory of the incendiary Detroit Sound with a precise model to aspire to and draw inspiration from: the Sonic's Rendezvous Band of a certain Fred Sonic Smith... And here I ask my "partner in crime" Pinhead to join me (not in that sense, it's worth emphasizing) for a sacred minute of silence.

"Move Right Out Of Here" is excellently presented right from the cover: the reference to the situation in Ammmerica is at this point entirely appropriate. But let's leave aside the star-spangled gossip and think about yet another show of strength from the band.

To hope for a musical change in direction from the Hellacopters would make no sense; at this point in their fifteen-year career, they have achieved a very personal and easily recognizable style and writing capacity, even if they haven't invented anything new. Certainly, compared to their furious beginnings, there is a noticeable reduction in Punk energy and a much more orderly and classically Rock sound. But they haven't become mere blanks, and the four tracks of this brief musical episode remind us that when they want to hit hard, they are second to none.

The two minutes of the title track lead us into that visceral sound reminiscent of the MC5; add to it the unmistakable Glam trademark of the four terrible lads and you will be immediately stunned by a track that rises in intensity to an adrenaline-filled finale. The subsequent "Heart Of The Matter" and "Makes It Alright" represent a successful attempt to put aside the uncontrolled fury of their early records; two songs of pure Rock'n'Roll, with that keyboard sound that is very reminiscent of the sixties.

And it's already time to close, and thus a live song steps in, captured from one of their incendiary concerts: the damned Hard-Garage of "The Devil Stole The Beat From The Lord" which won’t be remembered for the technical qualities of the group, but which properly devastates the audience present that evening at the concert. And every time I listen to a live performance by the Hellacopters, the anger for never having managed to see them live increases more and more...CITY SLANG...

Ad Maiora.