PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Hardcore Superstar (HCSS) hits you right in the face from start to finish, with their new smasher ‘You can’t kill my rock n roll’! Forged in Gothenburg, Sweden back in 1997 and after a brief hiatus and a couple of member changes, they have continued to embed their footprint on the glam metal/hard rock scene; kicking it up the ass with their own brand of glamorized debauched rock n roll.
Singer Jocke Berg opens AD/HD akin to a choir boy with the solo words ”Is there a chance for me, will never change my personality, a plan for me, where I can keep my personality’’, as Adde Andreasson fires up the drums like a Tommy Gun, and then ‘bam!’ The song bounces like a ‘hyperactive emo kid’. At one point I can’t tell if singer Jocke Berg is singing ‘sweet’ or ‘tweet’ as his voice transforms to a pitch that I’ve only heard from the cartoon character Tweety Pie ”I tawt I taw a puddy tat’” on the lyric ”they want to give me treatment, even though I am healing, prosecute me, cuz they caught me stealing”. That little bird has got balls for surviving Sylvester the cat and so has HCSS for being in the music game for 20+ years. Kicking ass on Electric Rider, Vic Zino (guitar) is the one with the solo power; he’s hot to trot on the fretboard with his energizing aptitude, he performs like a Scandinavian Randy Rhoads throughout the album. Taking things down a notch, My Sanctuary is reminiscent of something that could’ve made their self-titled album HCSS. Martin Sandvik provides the sass and throbbing bass lines that make for a familiar HCSS groove. So, don’t be fooled by the slow ‘slide gee-tar country sounding intro’, those little devils haven’t got one ballad on this album, sorry ladies (and gents).
”With my boot up ya ass” has to be a favourite lyric of the band, as is ”kicking some ass” which has featured a lot in their songs over the years. Hit me where it hurts is no exception, with a hard-hitting rhythm accompanied with Jocke chanting of ”bam sh’bam’s” and ”knocking you outs”. I think there’s a little rage wanting to escape! Title track You can’t kill my rock n roll oozes a ZZ Top riff, this glam-pop anthem, is a combustion of teenage insurgence, and desperado to get out of the house and have fun. And perhaps the aim is not at the teenagers but not to let those ‘whiney bores’ kill your rock n roll !!
A tale of loyalty and who you should be loyal to, The Others carries a poignant message in amongst the speed punk riffs and Motörhead-esque bass that has lots of added sound effects for your listening pleasure. Released back in 2017 and the first single off the album, Have Mercy on me goes in the other direction to You Can’t kill my rock n roll. Gothenburg’s super quartet gives the middle finger straight up to anyone who doesn’t get the rock scene, and these guys aren’t conforming to society’s norm anytime soon as they tell us on Never cared for the Snobbery.
Shaping up to be as energetic and fast-paced as singer Jocke on stage, but with added buffoonery, Baboon boom booms mischievously along with an electric mix of killer rock. The older of you may remember Slade’s We’ll bring the house down, known for its ‘come together’ party vibe, whoa’s and c’mons – HCSS shake the ground with their very own 80’s party fuelled rousing rock n roll anthem Bring the house down! Penultimate song Medicine Man charms us with its badass beat until a count of …ett, två, tre ,fyra (1,2,3,4) introduces the last track….”We know what we must do, so long goodbye to you, goodbye to all of you, nothing left to do, we’ve got to knock it off, it’s time for us to stop the show” Goodbye reminds me of Abba’s ”Thank you for the music” by the way it’s put together. Is this a secret way of saying this is the final show from the band?! Unless it comes directly from the horse’s mouth, then, I guess as HCSS say ”the party ain’t over ‘til we say so.”
You can’t kill my rock n roll is Sparka röv! (Kick ass!) from start to finish and a must for all Hardcore Superstar fans!
Band Members
Jocke Berg – vocals
Vic Zino – guitar
Martin Sandvik – bass
Adde Andreasson – drums
- 9.99
