Embedded Files
HELL IN THE CLUB “Joker in the Pack”
HELL IN THE CLUB “Joker in the Pack”
By Colonel Angus
I first ran across this outfit with the released of “F.U.B.A.R.” a couple of years ago. I was so impressed that it made me experience their back catalogue as well as procuring some of their disks. They certainly made an impact on me and I was disappointed to hear that Dave Moras decide to leave as I felt that his vocals were an integral part of their sound. Well, 2025 brings not only a new release from HELL IN THE CLUB but also a new line-up. Instead of going with a clone of Moras, they opted for a female to front the band and finalized their decision on Terese Persson.
Right off the bat, I am struck with a more polished overall sound. That doesn’t mean that the band rocks any less but there is a more commercial sound to “Joker in the Pack” whereas “F.U.B.A.R.” and their previous releases had a dirtier rock sound. I’m not complaining because as with their other records, this one is full of hard driving, catchy tunes. Things start off extremely well with “The Devil Won’t Forget Me”. There are touches of that dirty guitar riffing that made their earlier records so cool but the chorus has this polished melodic metal aspect to it that brings a new element to the band. It’s a great start and “New Desire” keeps the momentum going in a similar fashion only this time, it nods a little bit more to their other records.
As the disk progresses, “Dirty Love” and “Robert the Doll” have this great late 80s melodic metal vibe that would have fit perfectly in that MTV era. It’s not that the material is dated but it has that same sound but updated. Persson really makes her mark with a powerful performance throughout but one of my favorites on the record is “Fairytale”. Her melodic voice dances effortlessly over the riffing, each note weaving seamlessly into the riffing. Andrea Piccardi continues to come up with memorable riffing and solos as he has throughout the HELL IN THE CLUB catalogue and “Fairytale’ is a prime example of his talent. Taking a breather, the band gives us a ballad “The Ocean” and while it falls into that category pretty firmly, it does have its moments where it starts to pull away and rock. This is not the typical snooze-fest that most ballads tend to be.
“Magnetars” is another one that is similar to the earlier tracks on the record but this one misses the mark a little. Not a bad song but the others are much stronger. The record improves greatly with “Pretty Little Freak Show” which reverts back to their earlier sound that contained dirty rock riffing and swagger. This one is another highpoint on the record along with next track “Out in the Distance”. There is some great riffing courtesy Piccardi but during the verses, the guitars step aside to give Persson the spotlight. This is melodic metal done right. “Joker in the Pack” ends with “When the Veil of Night Falls” which gives us more of the same which is fine by me. It has some of that earlier sound but updated to showcase the new vocal direction.
I must admit, I was a little worried when I read that they were replacing their singer but I think going with Persson was a great choice. She injects a fresh dimension into their sound, while the rest of the band holds steady to the roots of their signature sound. “Joker in the Pack” is a great addition to the HELL IN THE CLUB catalogue and while it is different in some places, there are enough familiar tones that will satisfy older fans.
Report abuse