If we were to make a tiered list of non-metal acts who are associated with the scene because of their members, The Hellacopters would have to be towards the top of that list. Formed in 1994 as the hard rocking lovechild of Entombed’s Nicke Andersson, the band released a string of albums that helped spearhead the punk rock resurgence of the late ’90s and early ’00s. And as someone who’s always appreciated a good rock n’ roll record (How could a Motörhead-banger not?) , I’ve always dug them and their Scandi-punk brethren (i.e. Gluecifer, Turbonegro, The Hives, etc.).
I haven’t kept up with the band since their 2016 reunion, other than that I know they’ve feverishly been playing the fest circuit and released in album in 2022 entitled Eyes of Oblivion, their first in 14 years, that somehow missed my radar. While I probably should’ve checked that out first, I figured with a brand new Hellacopters album on the horizon, why not hop right into the here and now and check out their latest affair, Overdriver? After all, how much could an old school rock n’ roll band change in the course of a few years? It’s not like these guys would radically reinvent themselves, going for a more “mature” outlook. When one buys a Hellacopters album, one expects a collection of no-nonsense, short n’ sweet rock n’ rollers, which is exactly what we have here.
The biggest difference between then and now, so to speak, is the near absence of punk influences. Of course, when I use the term “punk” in the context of this band, I’m referring to the swagger and sleaze of bands like The Stooges and The Dictators that they took and turbocharged on early opuses like Supershitty to the Max! (1996) and Payin’ the Dues (1997). Aside from the uptempo romp that is “Faraway Looks”, and perhaps the garage-ish demeanor of “Wrong Face On”, that’s about all we have in the way of early punk worship on Overdriver. The rest of the album, however, runs the gamut of retro ’70s hard rock sounds, not far removed from Andersson’s “other” band, Lucifer.
Wickedly nostalgic cuts like “Don’t Let Me Bring You Down”, “Soldier On”, and “Doomsday Daydreams” certainly tap into the Lucifer vein, fusing trippy psychedelia with punchy riffs and earworm melodies. Speaking of melodies, there’s a strong power pop undertone throughout the course of Overdriver, that has me thinking Andersson dusted off his old Big Star and Raspberries albums before writing this one. Songs like “(I Don’t Wanna Be) Just a Memory” and “Do You Feel Normal” are so sugary sweet that this here diabetic might just fall into a coma from listening to them. Meanwhile, the opening “Token Apologies” and closing “Leave a Mark” bookend the album in raw, early Aerosmith fashion, hard-grooving coolness and all.
Overdriver might not tap into the reckless abandon of The Hellacopters’ early material, but it is still a high flying, hard rocking affair, filled with catchy songs and old school attitude. Even 30+ years into their run, this is a band that still has something to say, managing to create fresh, powerful music that serves as a punch to the face of those who dare phone it in. Rock n’ roll is about taking it to the max, and whether it be raw or rhapsodic, “By the Grace of God”, you can always count on The Hellacopters to do exactly that.
7 out of 10
Label: Nuclear Blast
Genre: Hard Rock
For fans of: Lucifer, Aerosmith, KISS
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