You just gotta imagine that leader Ralf Gyllenhammar has got the meanest handlebar 'stashe, like *ever*.I have gone on record on the whole retro sound that’s been happening in metal pretty much since the beginning of this century; I’m for it as long as it sounds authentic, meaning I like a band to sound like it actually writes and plays this music and it happens to sound like it came from 30 years ago because that’s what’s influenced them. This as opposed to a band that basically mimics an old sound to cash in on the nostalgic feelings of older listeners who fondly remember a different kind of music than they hear today. The only real caveats are that you kind of have to sound authentic to that music on a technical level where possible, but more importantly, you should bring something new to the mix rather than just a rehashing of what was done before.
Thankfully, the hard rocking Swedes of Mustasch do just that with their new release Sounds like Hell, Looks Like Heaven. Under the able rhythmic thunder of guitarist/vocalist Ralf Gyllenhammar, Mustasch does a fine job of rocking an old school sound that mixes old Whitesnake, The Cult, and Thin Lizzy with a nice thick bottom end to give it a more modern weight. I would love to see a bill with these cats opening for someone like Thin Lizzy, or on a tour with the likes of The Sword. A word of caution, though: Listening to this music can cause accelerated moustache growth and loss of the top two buttons on your suede shirt.
The Bottom Line: Don’t expect high velocity shredding or extended proggy jams, this is just great hard rocking as made famous by those liquored up Europeans; with loads of attitude and hugely satisfying grooves. To give your right hip a workout, crank up Morning Star and revel in the cow bell. Moar cow bell!
Tracks to Swagger to With a Cigarette in One Hand and Bottle of Whiskey In The Other: It’s Never Too Late, Cold Heart Mother Son, Morning Star, Dead Again, Destroyed by Destruction
- Genghis couldn’t fit into a pair of leather pants even when he was in high school…