Sleaze fans should be hitting the highway to Helldorados.

Many albums, particularly debuts, start strong but run out of steam by the latter half of the record. So it is with some pleasure that I can say that Helldorados achieve the rare feat of actually sounding better the further into the record you go. Indeed, right up to the well-constructed final track ‘Got Laid’ the band constantly surprise.

Despite the name, this band aren’t a bunch of WASP wannabes. This German band are at heart a sleaze rock band and on their debut here they prove to be a pretty good one at that. There are a number of influences throughout but singer Pierre’s habit of phrasing like James Hetfield at times has you imagine Metallica if they donned bandana’s, wore eyeliner and had grown up listening to Motley Crue and Ratt instead of the NWOBHM.

After the false start of the classical sounding intro, the album fairly rocks along with chest beaters like ‘Never Gonna Stop’ with its gang chant and muscle that reminds you of Hardcore Superstar and the first single ’You Live, You Learn, You Die’ which has the most pronounced of the Hetfield mannerisms. However, what makes this work so well as an album is the sheer variety of music and the feeling that the band have worked hard at their song-craft. The ballad ‘Changes’ would work well live and is a good slice of Tesla-lite melodic rock. And the other ballad ‘Gone’ is like Hetfield again but this time singing Ratt. The Ratt influence also raises its furry head on ’Torture Is My Name’. You also get the bluesy throb, reminiscent of Rhino Bucket, on ‘Hunter’ and ‘Girls’ could be Ted Nugent until the “Girls, Girls, Girls” chorus line gives away a rather obvious Motley Crue influence.

They might not be as powerful as the bands that they can be compared to yet but if they can latch themselves onto a tour with the likes of Crazy Lixx, Crashdiet or bigger hitters like the Crue or Stephen Pearcy of Ratt then they’ll find the right audience and if they can pick up some tips from the big boys then their next album could be something special. Sleaze fans in the meantime should be hitting the highway to Helldorados.

Duncan Jamieson