Hellryder: The Devil is a Gambler

A 'supergroup' featuring current and former members of Grave Digger, Orden Ogan, Bonfire, Freedom Call, Domain, and Xandria is not exactly what I have been thinking the world needs as hopefully the pandemic drags on towards the end. Nope, definitely not but hey! Here it is! With drummer Timmi Breideband (Gregorian, ex Bonfire, ex Freedom Call) and bass player Steven Wussow (Orden Ogan, ex Domain, ex Xandria), Grave Digger's Chris Boltendahl and Axel Ritt have come up with a nifty, if decidedly straightforward metal album to get ones teeth into.

I have often found Boltendakl's voice a bit off putting but here, against a pounding metal background it works perfectly �" a bit like Udo himself, which is always a good thing. The Devil is a Gambler is full of no nonsense metal such as "Sacrifice In Paradise" which fulfills the band's stated aim of "DIRTY KICK ASS HEAVY METAL" (their capitals.) "Faceless Jesus" is another winner with an insistent guitar riff and chugging bass. The bass is a key instrument on "Passion Maker" which is one of a couple of tracks where Boltendahl emits a super cool 'alright' which seems oddly out of place yet in tune with the meat and potatoes metal on offer. In actual fact and somewhat unusually, this is an album where the later songs are the better ones, listen to "Harder Faster Louder" for evidence. It's harder, faster and indeed louder than most things you'll hear this year and nice and punky to boot. Just for shits and giggles the bonus track "I Don't Wanna Die" begins with another 'alright' to round off an endearing album.

Track Listing:
1. Hellryder
2. Sacrifice In Paradise
3. Night Rider
4. The Devil Is A Gambler
5. Jekyll & Hyde
6. Faceless Jesus
7. Chainsaw Lilly
8. I Die For You
9. Bad Attitude
10. Passion Maker
11. Harder Faster Louder
12. I Don't Wanna Die (Bonus Track)

Added: April 28th 2021
Reviewer: Simon Bray
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 921
Language: english

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