Hellacopters - Strikes Like Lightning

  by Andrew Carver

published: 19 / 11 / 2004

Label: Sweet Nothing
Format: CD

intro

New six song EP from the much acclaimed the Hellacopters, which proves itself to be typical of the well-produced Motor City-style guitar rock for which the Swedish rockers have become famous

Following on the heels of 'By The Grace of the God', the Hellacopters latest six-song EP is undoubtedly a companion piece (the lightning and clouds cover design is a dead giveaway). It’s also an easy one to recommend to either fans or newbies to the ’Copters sound, since it follows in the fine vein of that work and its predecessor, 'High Visibility' (their finest hour to date, if you ask me). All six songs are typical of the well-produced Motor City-style guitar rock for which the Nick Royale and Co. are famous, with hard-charging closer 'On The Line' being one of their finest performances to date – dig that extra-heavy country lick at the beginning and the sitar sounds, baby! It’s a surefire selection for their inevitable 'Greatest Hits' comp (even one of those short 10-song jobs …). If 'Strikes' has any defects, it’s a lack of the emotional continuity displayed on 'High Visibility' and 'By the Grace of God'” (a defect of the short form, not the songs themselves) and a slight sound-alike quality to previously released numbers. I’m not flaunting any great musical perspicacity by saying that I guessed the tunes on 'Strikes' were recorded about the same time as the recording sessions that provided the material on 'By the Grace of God' before having it confirmed by a glance at the liners. Needless to say (I hope) six songs of the Hellacopters sounding like themselves is a very good thing indeed. You should pick it up for 'One More Time', but there’s not a bad moment.

Track Listing:-