Hemi Devils-The Trilogy Of 6 – Volume 1

Self-Release/Independent
2015

"Rock-n-Roll Fueled By The Devil". That's the short and the (sinfully!) sweet of it when it comes to Ohio's one and only Hemi Devils. Based in Cleveland, with the recently-released EP, "The Trilogy Of 6 – Volume 1" serving as the soundtrack to this band's (alcohol-fueled) crazy train ride to hell and back (!), this wicked cool hard & heavy rockabilly band is another Ohio band destined for bigger and better things and it all starts here with these six songs. As usual though I'm getting WAY ahead of myself so let's rewind the tape and start somewhere closer to the beginning. Driven by not only "Hotrods, Hot Broads, and Hot Rock n Roll.", but (judging by the EP's lyrics and all!) cases of  Pabst Blue Ribbon beer (!), Hemi Devils is a band deeply-drenched in nostalgia and the good old sounds of yesterday. OK, let me rephrase that as I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. Hemi Devils is a throwback to when rock was still dirty and dangerous and heavy metal wasn't so damn serious all the freaking time! The five guys in Hemi Devils (Jack, Rob, Kenny, Burn, and Scott) offer the listening audience a great alternative to the bland crap now plaguing rock radio. It's a sound and a lifestyle that many of us are secretly craving, but dare not say out-loud for fear of reprisal. To put it another way this is one band that (thankfully) doesn't give a rat's ass about the PC police! With Hemi Devils there are no pulled punches when it comes to things like booze, drugs and yes, even women ("Barfly Baby" anyone?) and man alive is that refreshing! Trust me here friends. After it's all been said and done you're going to want to check out this band's bandcamp page because (frankly speaking) it's all so much fun! Engineered, produced, mixed and mastered by Noah Buchanan at Brainchild Studios in the band's hometown of Cleveland, "The Trilogy Of 6 – Volume 1" was just released at the tail end of July. As such it's still hot to the touch and that much is abundantly clear once you've dug into this EP's blazing opener, "Baptized in Gasoline". It's got a nasty Rob Zombie meets Motörhead vibe going for it and if there is a better way to start an album off then this ripper then I sure as hell would like to know about it! From "Baptized in Gasoline" we head on out to aforementioned "Barfly Baby". Here we find lead singer Jack and his comrades adding some rockabilly to the mix by way of The Stray Cats. It's a potent addition alright and one has to assume that this mash up of Rob Zombie, Motörhead and The Stray Cats must sound as good in a live setting as it does here on tape! "Uncle Satan" throws more gasoline on the fire with dive bar worthy riff & roll flirting it up with rockabilly and for some reason I had flashes of Lords Of The Highway zipping through my mind! Not that the Lords Of The Highway were ever this HEAVY or anything. It's just a similar (somewhat) sleazy vibe. "She Devil" is next and this gritty roller is as sick as it is slick. It's also heavy as all get out and with it's bad woman from hell story-line it's a tale that many of us can easily relate to! "Angel Waiting" is sing-a-long rockabilly tossed together with garage rock and roll and if not for the explicit content this one could makes waves on alternative radio. "Electric Wine" (see video below) wraps things up and this heavy, fist-clenched rocker is one of the EP's finest moments. Heavy metal fanatics will appreciate it's all or nothing aggression as will the hard rock crowd. It's the perfect bookend to "Baptized in Gasoline" and it does the job that it was put in place to do. It makes you want to hit repeat in order that you can enjoy this wild rock and roll roller-coaster all over again! Given this EP's crazy low price (it's something like $7 for U.S. customers and that includes shipping!) there's no reason not to jump on this release so do it now!