Great Danes
Back in 2007, a band took to the stage at Wacken who had been described to me by a friend as being "Elvis metal"; by the time their set was done, any preconceptions of gimmicks were, like me, totally blown away. The Copenhagen quartet might just be the best thing to come out of Denmark since bacon, and their rise to success has been a steady one since their rollicking debut The Strength/The Sound/The Songs was unleashed upon the world. The band's now-signature sound, a unique blend of 1950s rock'n'roll and hard-hitting heavy metal, has proven a huge hit with fans of both genres worldwide, gaining them popularity to a level they probably never anticipated.
Upon first listen, 2010's Beyond Hell/Above Heaven was not as immediate as their previous work, but with albums one to three containing more sing-alongs than a rainy day at Wimbledon with Sir Cliff, maintaining such a high standard without repeating themselves was always going to be a hefty task. With Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies, the initial feel mirrors that of Beyond Hell...; a mixed bag of average Volbeat songs and rehashed ideas and melodies. But as with their previous album, time and perseverance reap great rewards.
If fact, more so than ever before, Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies is a showcase for Volbeat's ever-diverse musical delivery, with more melodies leaning toward the lighter side of their past repertoire, yet the deliciously heavy moments are equally as plentiful and punctuated. From the energetic The Hangman's Body Count to full-on headbanger Dead But Rising, the band's form remains rock solid as they plough their way through an hour of sing-along anthems with more balls than a nudist beach ping pong tournament. With the departure of lead guitarist Thomas Bredahl comes his replacement in the form of former Anthrax man Rob Caggiano; initially brought in to help out with the album's production, his new full-time job has given Volbeat an extra injection of heavy metal shredding, with even slower affairs such as Our Loved Ones benefitting from his stand-out fretwork.
Any fears that the band have been slowly reigning in the heavier side of their music are happily quashed, with the likes of Doc Holliday (screaming out its early-Metallica influence) and the fantastic Room 24 (featuring metal legend King Diamond no less) providing a welcome dose of metal attitude. There's a real outlaw feel to the album with the songs drenching themselves in historical characters from the wild west; from catchy opener Pearl Hart to the metal attack of Western-inspired Black Bart, the overall theme adds an extra dimension to the music. First single Cape of Our Hero is a nostalgic and emotional take on childhood heroes, Volbeat proving once again that they're not afraid to pull at heartstrings when they can do it do well; the song will however point a little too far into radio-friendly-rock territory for some.
Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies is Volbeat once again doing what they do best, and while some might not truly appreciate the slight lean towards more commercial rock territory, the rock'n'roll and the metal are both still very much a part of who they are. The album and song concepts alone keep things fresh and interesting, and a couple of rehashed riffs and choruses cannot detract from the fact that this is another fantastic effort from the Danes, and will surely continue to harness their success in the rock and metal world.