Review: VOLBEAT: “Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies” (2013)

Reviewed by Simone Parisi

Artist: VOLBEAT
Album: “Outlaw Gentlement & Shady Ladies”
Label: Universal
Release date: April 8th 2013

01 Let’s Shake Some Dust
02 Pearl Hart
03 The Nameless One
04 Dead But Rising
05 Cape Of Our Hero
06 Room 24
07 The Hangman’s Bodycount
08 My Body
09 Lola Montez
10 Black Bart
11 The Lonesome Rider
12 The Sinner Is You
13 Doc Holliday
14 Our Loved Ones

Volbeat 2013 ……. A sort of adaption of the band to the current metal scene, losing that bit of rockabilly that was previously the band’s trademark. The entrance of Rob Caggiano (Anthrax) makes this release heavier than before, and it’s often Poulsen who follows him and not vice versa, and – knowing his charisma- that’s news! They made a cover of Young The Giant, establishing a safe melody, without going fast with the tempo (we should wait until track 10 to listen to some fast rhythms) and resulting in being a bit repetitive.

The collaboration with Sarah Blackwood (Walk Off The Earth), on the track “Lonesome Rider”, sounds really interesting and brings the band back to their “Elvis Metal” roots, as we can hear on the last songs of the album.

This was fundamentally a release for the band’s career, but seems monolithic, a bit dull and with not many great ideas. After the first session of listening I would give it a 6.5/10, with an extra “half mark” just because I’m a huge fan and I would love them anyway, like all huge fans would do with their favourite bands.

Revisable band, talented as usual, but revisable.