Too often, it would seem that the word ‘fun’ has become synonymous with boring, uninspired and generic music. If someone is asked whether or not they enjoy a certain band that they find to be uninteresting musically, they could be painted as an enemy to all that is fun and enjoyable. It truly is a shame that this word has come to mean exactly the opposite of what it should. However, there are bands who are fighting to reclaim the word and its true definition. At the head of the pack are the UK’s masked ruffians, who just happen to have a penchant for dicks, THE HELL. Not only are they ready to fight and die for enjoyable music…they also brought their Groovehammer with them.
The title Groovehammer could not be any more fitting for this record. The head-nodding truly only stops because you simply can’t do it anymore. The riffs chug along at just the right pace and are assisted by a tone as thick as a concrete slab. Over these mammoth tunes? Lyrics about food, death and of course, dicks. These themes are also tightly packed into larger-than-life choruses. These were all elements present on their previous release, but seeing as it’s THE HELL we’re talking about, they’ve decided to kick it up more than a few notches on all fronts.
From the opening track, ‘Take Me Out”, we are made well aware that it would take a swarm of killer bees, a sea of white sharks and Jason Statham to even have a chance at killing them. Clearly, they are not in the mood for any misconceptions or confusion when it comes to just what it would take to send them to their untimely demise. The band does know exactly how they can kill you, though, as demonstrated by the fantastic closer, ‘I’ll Snap Your Fucking Head Clean Off’. They also aren’t afraid to discuss the fact that everyone will one day be dead, as shown by the aptly titled, ‘Everybody Dies’. You could actually get someone closer to that truth by hitting them over the head with this tune. With any of these tunes, really.
This album refuses to stop being heavy as it goes on. The best part about it is that its relatively short length (32 minutes) allows the album to keep being heavy without feeling tired or repetitive. It also assures that THE HELL’s larger than life persona doesn’t feel suffocating or overbearing. The band’s inability to be serious, along with their acute awareness of that inability, makes it easier to enjoy the album for what it is; pure, unadulterated fun.
When a friend comes over unable to enjoy even the smallest pleasures that life has to offer, asking for a good time musically, don’t show him that breakdown-laden band you found while looking for some good metalcore on YouTube. Hit him with the Groovehammer. When he asks who this band making him laugh and bounce up and down is, simply reply with the honest truth: “It’s the motherfucking Hell, you dick.”
THE HELL – Groovehammer gets…
4.5/5
-RC