There isn’t an enormous amount of information on Hellsongs‘ band history on the band’s various social platforms, but they appeared to have began covering metal songs in their own way back in 2004. They went on to release three albums before beginning a hiatus in 2014. This particular style is to take heavy metal songs and not only switch off the amps, but to focus and pluck out rather expertly in a respectful manner on the songs deep lying melodies for an organic folkie interpretation. You may have preferences on how a cover version should be handled, but it is where the artist stamps their own style and identity on the original is where this writer’s preferred style sits, rather than the sounding exactly like the original kind, so Hellsongs’ approach intrigues.
Fast forward to the present day and On The Return of the Hellsingers, sees them choosing rock/metal/punk songs from the likes of AC/DC, Motörhead, Rage Against the Machine, Refused, Green Day and their selections are strong on the themes of defiance, holding on to your principles, and anger at inequality. Showing they can also write their own material there are four original songs (I’m hopefully assuming correctly it is one of their own) ‘Calling Them Out’ is among one of the many album highlights.
Hellsongs’ skill is to take these rockers to another level of poignancy. The organic textures of AC/DC’s ‘TNT’ is a joy. They are able to find the beauty in the rock ragers and turn Motörhead’s ‘Just Because You Got the Power’ into a Niles Rogers stylised disco shindig while maintaining the song’s core values and power. While the bruising anger of Rage Against the Machine’s rousing anthem ‘Killing in the Name’ is still distilled with power, but this time within the quietness, adding piano into its sublime textures.
Showing this writer’s age, a mix tape designating one side to the Marshall amps switched on originals with the flip side to feature the Hellsongs album would be a terrific tape to have. Granted, Hellsongs’ appeal will most likely be to those who appreciate the loud with the contrasting quite genre of folk/folk rock. There is an elegance to how Hellsongs covert the originals, as they add extra textures (e.g piano, vocal harmonies) to hone in deeper into the melodies while still maintaining their lyrical power. Of course, folk music is no stranger to the protest song as it has ran deeply through its veins throughout its history. So The Return of the Hellsingers and the juxtaposition between the sweet melodies and the defiant lyrics sounds natural and sincere.
The Return of the Hellsingers is a fine tribute of an interpretation of songs with additional originals of equal quality for a cohesive whole. Now, where is that cassette deck?
