Hardsell – Subculture Criminals

Rebellion Records

 

Fourteen years is all that it took, but at last the Dutch – American powerhouse is back on your turntable – Hardsell! Dutch front man Kris has been residing in the United States for years now and has gathered both a European and an American line-up around him to keep Hardsell alive and kickin’. The latter line-up, consisting out of members of The Beltones, Sniper 66 and more, recently recorded the band’s brand new, fourth full-length album “Subculture Criminals” and it’s off the fuckin’ wall!

 

Hardsell has always been known for its well-structured, often lengthy, but always massive anthems and on “Subculture Criminals” there is definitely no shortage of melodic, yet powerful battle hymns! In fact, with the exception of the short, fast-paced brawler “Freak” (that clocks in at just 42 seconds), 90% of the songs on “Subculture Criminals” last well, or even far over the three minute mark, but you’ll never find a boring second on this LP. All tracks build up perfectly and will have you hooked in no-time with its superb guitar melodies, boisterous sing-alongs and Kris’ raspy, tough as nails vocals!

 

It’s very hard to pick some favorites from an album that literally contains anthem after anthem. Title-track “Subculture Criminals”, the magnificent “I Don’t Live For You”, the song filled with female guest vocals by Stephanie Marlar “Suzie Brass Knuckles”, the glorious “Victory”, the trip down memory lane of “Outlawed” or last, though certainly not least “One Of Our Own”, they’re all likely candidates though and extremely strong, melodic songs I could just hear over and over again. Amazing!

 

It’s safe to say that Hardsell still has it after all these years of (studio-)absence, delivering the highest quality of streetrock and Oi! with perfection and a vengeance! The CD-version will already be available at their select, European shows this December (2017), but the official release isn’t until early 2018, instantly delivering one of the best releases of next year and for fans of The Bruisers, Discipline, Argy Bargy, The Skinflicks and other hard-hitters, this record should be a no-brainer! 2018, the bar has been set!