Just started listening, on the 3rd song now and I'm digging it so far.

I find it very double-sided. The first songs are very much commercial crap, but from Room 24 onwards it gets better. I liked the cover of My Body and The Hangman's Body Count and The Lonesome Rider are above average. My favourite is Black Bart though, that's the Volbeat I love!

First half is pretty weak, but really picks up during the second half and picks up the slack.

Just picked up a lithograph of the cover from the free stuff section at a music store in Duluth. Sweet.

I'll admit I'd never really given this band a chance before listening to this album, but now I'm so glad I have. Literally every song here either cheers me up or makes me bang my head in appreciation. I read up before that the band were influenced by Rockabilly/Southern Rock whilst sounding just a bit like Metallica (don't ask) and it's quite obvious on songs such as 'Pearl Hart', 'The nameless one' and 'Lola Montez' that these influences are used to the full extent. I think though that the best songs are the heavier and darker ones, such as 'Dead but rising' and the flawless 'Room 24' (with King Diamond who is, as always, useful)-they just grab my attention that bit more than all the others. I'll certainly be seeing this band if they tour anytime soon.

Written by musicalkaratekid on 16.06.2013 at 15:57

I'll admit I'd never really given this band a chance before listening to this album, but now I'm so glad I have. Literally every song here either cheers me up or makes me bang my head in appreciation. I read up before that the band were influenced by Rockabilly/Southern Rock whilst sounding just a bit like Metallica (don't ask) and it's quite obvious on songs such as 'Pearl Hart', 'The nameless one' and 'Lola Montez' that these influences are used to the full extent. I think though that the best songs are the heavier and darker ones, such as 'Dead but rising' and the flawless 'Room 24' (with King Diamond who is, as always, useful)-they just grab my attention that bit more than all the others. I'll certainly be seeing this band if they tour anytime soon.

Their heavier, darker songs are definitely best but I do also enjoy the lighter songs as well. I have all of their discography and I love every single album; I'm definitely a fanboy.

Written by psykometal on 16.06.2013 at 21:23

Written by musicalkaratekid on 16.06.2013 at 15:57

I'll admit I'd never really given this band a chance before listening to this album, but now I'm so glad I have. Literally every song here either cheers me up or makes me bang my head in appreciation. I read up before that the band were influenced by Rockabilly/Southern Rock whilst sounding just a bit like Metallica (don't ask) and it's quite obvious on songs such as 'Pearl Hart', 'The nameless one' and 'Lola Montez' that these influences are used to the full extent. I think though that the best songs are the heavier and darker ones, such as 'Dead but rising' and the flawless 'Room 24' (with King Diamond who is, as always, useful)-they just grab my attention that bit more than all the others. I'll certainly be seeing this band if they tour anytime soon.

Their heavier, darker songs are definitely best but I do also enjoy the lighter songs as well. I have all of their discography and I love every single album; I'm definitely a fanboy.

Oh I enjoy the lighter songs too! This band seem to have a habit of being consistent all the time. Which album do you recommend I try next?

Written by musicalkaratekid on 17.06.2013 at 01:33

Oh I enjoy the lighter songs too! This band seem to have a habit of being consistent all the time. Which album do you recommend I try next?

Well I don't think they have any bad albums, I love ALL their songs. I discovered them in 2009, between Guitar Gangsters and Beyond Hell, and have been a fanboy ever since. Once I get familiar with their latest album (as they release them), when I'm feeling like jamming some Volbeat I just put my iPod on Shuffle and shuffle through their entire discography so I'm probably not the best to recommned a specific album. I don't actually recall what songs are from which album because of how I listen to their music, so I'd probably just recommend starting at The Strength/The Sound/The Songs and going in order.

Considering this was my first listen to a Volbeat album, I have to say that I really enjoyed it. I wouldn't call it a classic by any measure, but it's certainly an enjoyable album that I'm glad I purchased!

The Hangman's Body Count has been playing over my radio infrequently. I liked it, but everytime it would play it would never name what song it was. So it took constant, spaced-between listens of the song for like the last two months until I was finally able to type enough of the lyrics online and find it. When I found it, I was so happy I almost cried.

That being said, the rest of the album is pretty good.

This is more Metallica-like, My final rating is "8.5".