{"id":25910,"date":"2025-01-15T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=25910"},"modified":"2025-01-12T21:23:44","modified_gmt":"2025-01-12T21:23:44","slug":"the-hellacopters-overdriver-nuclear-blast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=25910","title":{"rendered":"The Hellacopters – \u2018Overdriver\u2019 (Nuclear Blast)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sweden’s finest exponents of action rock The Imperial State Electrocopters are back and they are firing on all cylinders. Nicke Andersson\u2019s 70\u2019s drenched tribute to The Stooges\/Kiss\/Thin Lizzy\/Motorhead (delete as applicable) follows up their 2022 comeback album \u2018Eyes Of Oblivion\u2019 with a new 11-track banger of an album in \u2018Overdriver\u2019, and there is not a Dregen to be seen or heard on this, the 9th<\/sup> long player from The Hellacopters. Which sort of makes it an Imperial State Electric sort of thing, doesn’t it?<\/p>\n\n\n

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Confused? Well don’t be. The livewire Backyard Babies guitarist may well have been instrumental in the sound of The Hellacopters classic \u2018Supershitty To The Max!\u2019 garage rock era, but that was a different band in a different century ladies and gents. Nicke and his gang progressed over the years, and while the gang members have come and gone, the song remains the same in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seems as they are a four piece in the videos, we are to assume out illustrious leader handles guitar duties as well as vocals here. All is well and good and opener \u2018Token Apologies\u2019 delivers the Kiss\/UFO influences to the max, and if you have, like me been rediscovering the \u2018Head Off\u2019 covers re-issue recently, then that is a good reference for where we are heading sound-wise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Don\u2019t Let Me Bring You Down\u2019 is classic Nicke, and could’ve been a single from any of the early Imperial State Electric long players, or any 70\u2019s Quo album come to think of it. A great memorable hook, and an early highlight for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But then things get really tasty with the magnificent power pop single \u2018I Don’t Wanna Be Just A Memory\u2019. Methinks Ginger Wildheart would give his left bollock to have a hook that good for The Wildhearts in 2025. With its urgent beats and rousing chorus, it sounds like Benny & Bjorn penned it back in \u201878, Iggy stole the beat from the Lord and traded it to Nicke\u2019s old man for a bag of blow and a bottle of Jack. Yes, it’s that good!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 songs in and were flying in the right direction. The groovy punk n\u2019 roll of \u2018Wrong Face\u2019 follows, the rousing and uplifting \u2018Soldier On\u2019, and the overly familiar \u2018Doomsday Daydreams\u2019 wrap up a very strong side 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flipping the virtual disc and the high energy \u2018Faraway Looks\u2019 has riffs and a chorus to die for, latest single \u2018Do You Feel Normal\u2019 is classic 70\u2019s rock at its finest and closer \u2018Leave A Mark\u2019, does exactly that with its throbbing bass line, driving rhythms and Starchild vocal delivery. It rocks you like a hurricane until the final note rings out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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