Review THE HELLACOPTERS “Overdriver”

The Hellacopters belong to the spearhead of Swedish and Scandinavian rock music with a tremendous first era that included numerous top 10 albums in their home country Sweden. After disbanding in 2008, The Hellacopters reunited in 2016 and what was originally planned as a one-off show at Sweden Rock became a second chapter in the band’s history.

With “Eyes of Oblivion” the guys released an excellent new album in 2022 and three years later it is “Overdriver” that serves as the next delight for fans of down-to-earth rock music. As the title suggests, we have warm distortions and powerful guitars from start to finish. This is one of the main pillars of The Hellacopters and it is reflected in each of the album’s diverse songs.

With “Token Apologies” the band sets the stage for the album in a great way. Loaded with great drive and a solid melody, the song exhales the essence of rock. Moderately paced and with a cool groove, the journey continues. “Don’t Let Me Bring You Down” is a catchy tune, while “(I Don’t Wanna Be) Just a Memory” brings out the soulful side of The Hellacopters. The magic is that the song goes straight to your heart without being a standard ballad. There is still rock power as a base and yet the song spreads an emotional momentum.

“Coming Down” follows a similar pattern. The song is another emotional spot on the album without following the beaten path of tearjerkers. The Hellacopters have the right feeling to write songs that go straight to the heart of the listener while still maintaining some edges, which is a crucial aspect in this kind of music.

What comes next is basically the opposite. “Wrong Face On” is a straight up rocker with steam engine intensity. In less than three minutes, The Hellacopters present a superbly crafted rock song that leads into “Soldier On”. The latter has the soft sound of the piano pretty much in the fore, while the track itself is more of a darker rock song.

“Faraway Looks” picks up the vibe of “Wrong Face On”. Fast and featuring an addictive chorus, the song shows the range of The Hellacopters’ sound. Each of these rock anthems is pure fun to listen to, which is also true for “Do You Feel Normal”.

The bluesy “The Stench” is another great anthem towards the end of “Overdriver” before “Leave a Mark” heralds the end. With a running time of more than five minutes, this is the longest song on the album and a truly grande finale.

The Hellacopters certainly leave a mark with their new album. The grandeur of rock is what resonates with every tone on this album, with every note played. The Swedish veterans haven’t lost any of their fascinating sound and spirit. These guys have pure rock’n’roll running through their veins and The Hellacopters is an outlet for that passion. Great band, great album.