Album Reviews : Hansel – Never Say Die

In this age of 80’s revivals, with all the old hair metal bands reuniting and touring, and with the success of new bands such as Steel Panther, it is no surprise that we have a couple right here in Australia catching on. One band in particular that has come to my attention is a Newcastle based band by the name of Hansel.

Not the type of band I would listen to very often nowadays, but in saying that, I was a hot blooded male teen in the 80’s and if it wasn’t for bands such as Van Halen, Motley Crue and Bon Jovi, I might never have gotten into Heavy Metal in the first place! Hansel are obviously influenced by the aforementioned bands, so if you’re like me and still don’t mind rocking out to some of the old classics every now and then, then these guys are well worth a listen.

It’s hard for a band of this genre to be completely original, after all it’s all been done before. But you must give credit where it’s due and these guys do pull it off quite well. The lyrics are cheesy and a bit cliché, as one would expect from a glam metal band, but the songs are all well written and have some really great hooks and melodies. The guitar work is tight and crisp taking influence from 80’s greats such as, Eddie Van Halen and George Lynch, just to name a couple, with plenty of catchy riffs and some very nice solo work in there as well.

One of the standout tracks for me is I Don’t Need Saving (All I Need Is Rock’n’Roll), which starts off in typical 80’s power ballad style before the guitars kick in, and the chorus is catchy as hell. Eruption, as the name might suggest, starts very much in a Van Halen style with its melodic guitar opening, but soon heads in more of a Bon Jovi direction reminding me somewhat of their early hit In and Out of Love. Murder 101 would be the pick of the disc – it’s just a good all-round song with yet another catchy chorus and one that you will find yourself singing along to.

The production is top quality, making for quite a complete offering from the Newcastle lads. Whether you take them serious or not is another thing but it’s Rock and Roll and it should be fun. To any glam/sleaze rockers out there, these guys will definitely suit you. And if you’re like me and still listen to the occasional piece of 80’s vinyl, and if you can get past the spandex and teased up hair then give these guys a go, just don’t get caught playing air guitar!!

8/10

http://www.myspace.com/hanselmusic

Track listing:
1. I Don’t Need Saving (All I Need Is Rock’n’Roll)
2. Eruption
3. Rock City
4. On The Run
5. Wild Tonight
6. Rocketship Of Love
7. Between A Rock And A Hard Place
8. Vampire
9. Murder 101
10. 1-800-Pleasuretown
11. The Whole Nine Yards