30 Below: Rollercoaster

Sometimes what you need is a good old shot of beer soaked, whiskey swilling straight up rock and roll, which is exactly what Norwegians 30 Below are aiming for. No surprises, few frills, this is purely plug it in and play stuff. Often however religiously following that blueprint isn't enough and while there's no denying that 30 Below are great fun, full of enthusiasm and sure to put a big grin on your face, what they specialise in has been done countless times before and truth be told, more often than not, much better. It isn't however a lost cause with Rollercoaster housing fiery riffs, solid if unspectacular vocals and grooves that get your head nodding, if not into full on banging. If you're looking to infuse a little bouncy fun into the next forty minutes or so, then this Rollercoaster has less ups and downs than its name suggests, but then it lacks the thrills you'd hope for too.

Singer Tore Moengen handles the more energetic output such as "Beautiful", or "Dive Under" with an infectious howl and he's ably backed by the guitar pairing of Joe Rodgerson and Kjell Arne Hubred, who set about the songs with intent. However where 30 Below really manage to hit top gear is on the few occasions where a little of Hans Martin Nysaeter's keyboard flavours manage to hustle their way to the forefront, as they do on the Hammond infused "Twisted Little Sister", or the vaguely progressive "Sometimes" or "Loss". However on the flip side it is these slower, more considered moments where vocally things are caught short with Moengen coming across a little too Eurovision and not enough Southern drawl.

Known as the home of melodic rock Scandinavia seldom offers up a grittier, down and dirty approach and for that 30 Below should be commended. However with there being countless bands out there hammering out this type of stuff with more conviction and in the end more convincingly, 30 Below are set to struggle to stand out from the crowd. Still, any band who are willing and able to rhyme Rollercoaster with Toaster must be doing something right!

Track Listing
1. Answer
2. Rollercoaster
3. Beautiful
4. Hollow Faces
5. Dive Under
6. Twisted Little Sister
7. Scream And Shout
8. She's Gotta Run
9. Sometimes
10. Loss
11. Killing Machine

Added: April 1st 2013
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: 30 Below on ReverNation
Hits: 3552
Language: english

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