Worship Metal Album Of The Week – Hell’s Addiction – Broken
Broken? Fixed more like!
Having seen these hellraisers rip up Scotland’s Wildfire Festival less than 2 weeks ago, it was pretty satisfying to see Hell’s Addiction’s new album, Broken, sleaze its way into Worship Metal’s ready and willing inbox (apologies, that’s pretty gross).
Suffice to say, Hell’s Addiction are a throw back to the 80’s metal scene, with massive tunes, gravely vocals and more dirty, sweaty, greasy, slippery, oily and lascivious rock n’ fuckin’ roll this side of a Guns N’ Roses reunion. The songs on Broken are immediate and impressive – there’s no time for fanning around when there’s this much rockin’ to do – and it’s this boundless enthusiasm that appeals the most.
Hell’s Addiction know exactly how to write the songs that Axl Rose, Slash, Nikki Sixx, Jani Lane, Robbin Crosby et all built monster careers out of and Broken is home to an endless parade of instant ragers. There’s also a tip of the hat to the legends of the 70’s with “Blue Lights” harnessing that simple but infinitely effective AC/DC groove, topped off with a lighter’s aloft chorus, and the 3 minute long “The Rocker”, gut-rumbling bass-line and sandpaper screams included, ironically would have pleased 70’s fans of Thin Lizzy. A warrior’s call to partying hard and living for this music, “The Rocker” – in fact, the whole damn album – reeks of booze, broads and badass behaviour and it’s all carried off with a bawdy charm; you want to drink a beer with these guys and you want them to rip you in half when they hit the stage!
The profanity level is off the charts, the head-banging riffage is equally incalculable and the sucker-punch impact of malicious melody and snotty aggression is a joy to behold. Broken is a top class effort, no doubt about it and our transatlantic cousins who like to think they have this glam metal/sleaze rock thing all sewn up may have just been trumped by some lads from Leicester.
It’s hard to say if Hell’s Addicition belong in arena’s or the most disgusting back-alley bar imaginable – their music fitting the demographic of those who would attend both establishments – but one’s thing for sure, Broken is a triumph and a cunning display of balls-out confidence matched by timeless songs! Broken? Fixed more like. 9/10
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