Devil's Gate Music
Related Articles
No Ballads No Bullshit’. Glad that’s been cleared up. The title track comes flying out of the traps like a greyhound raised on crack. Frontman and maniac, Joel O’Keeffe, sings “It don’t matter no more, I’ve got my foot to the floor, like a bullet from a gun, I was born to run..” as well as, “Cos I’m a crazy mutherfucker, and I just don’t care”. And there you have it, Airbourne don’t really care about the ‘AC/DC rip offs’ accusations that have dogged them for years. Of course they sound like ‘DC to an extent, but Angus and Co haven’t sounded as frantic as this in years. ’Rivalry’ has a great bounce to it, as the O’Keeffe’s offer up a tale of the underdogs taking on the establishment for closing down so many rock n’roll venues to make way for luxury apartments. The trademark Airbourne gang vocals are prevalent throughout as the band members combine to raise the roof. ’Get Back Up’ has a great bass line from Justin Street, as he does what the Aussies, in general, do best… keep it simple. This is probably the closest they come to AC/DC on the album, and that’s mainly down to Street, and drummer Ryan O’Keeffe. The guitar pair of Joel O’Keeffe and David Roads stick to the basics on ‘It’s Never Too Loud For Me’… short, punchy rhythms, until the blistering solo kicks down the door, midsong. ‘Thin The Blood’ has a punk vibe about it, with a simple, aggressive guitar sound, and rattling drum beats that are impossible not to bang your head to. Joel tells a tale that everyone can relate to; getting through the week to Friday night, then out on the lash, before waking up Saturday morning with the hangover from hell. Odds are, this will be totally killer live. Best groove on the album belongs to ‘I’m Going To Hell For This’, a phrase that most of us have uttered at least once in our lives. Slower than most of the album, but it has a real kick to it. ’Down On You’ is a total boogie-fest. A song that surely needs no lengthy explanation on what it’s about… surely not? Airbourne, again not caring what anyone thinks. They’ll do what they want. Not many bands could pull a song like this off. Schoolboy humour? Dumb? Your point being? Likewise,’Never Been Rocked Like This’ is about fucking, plain and simple. It’s about fucking. ‘When I Drink I Go Crazy’ has a great line about “Standing drunk in the middle of the road, directing traffic like a ninja”, that anyone who has woken up with a traffic cone on their head, or a flashing roadworks lamp hidden in their jacket, can identify with. I can just imagine Joel O’Keeffe smashing beer cans on his head during this one live. ’Do Me Like You Do Yourself’ extols the virtues of (ahem) self love, and I don’t mean looking at yourself in the mirror, and telling yourself you’re not fat. ’It’s All For Rock N’ Roll’ is a great tribute to Lemmy, who you may recall appeared in Airbourne’s ‘Runnin’ Wild’ video some time ago. It features some incredible lines about the great man “He did it all, enough for you and me”, as well as my favourite, “All around the world he left his mark, a million eardrums shattered like a glass”. Lemmy left a huge void when he died, something that no-one can dispute. There will never be another Lemmy, but it is heartwarming when you hear such a glorious tribute. If you’ve hated everything that Airbourne have produced in the past, then chances are you are not going to dig ‘Breakin’ Outta Hell’, as it follows the “if it ain’t broke…” rule, but switch of your brain and take a chance on the Aussies. It’s loud and brash, as all good rock n’roll should be. ‘Breakin’ Outta Hell’ is available now through Spinefarm Records. Review: Dave Stott]]>
