Thursday, August 09, 2012

HELLSONGS

Hellsongs are a Swedish band who have gotten amazing mileage out of the strategy of covering classic heavy metal songs in an EZ style reminiscent of late '60s/early '70s sunshine pop bands like The Mamas and The Papas, or baroque poppers like the Left Banke. They're up to five releases and counting of arranging the works of the likes of Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Guns 'n' Roses, and Van Halen for horns, strings, piano, acoustic guitar, and low-key Claudine Longet-like female vox. Alice Cooper's "School's Out" gets downright bubblegum, and Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" drifts along nicely as a stately waltz. This could be played as a quick joke, but it's so artfully rendered that the unexpected results are often quite lovely. I came for the novelty, and stayed for the music. (But then again, I love all that Free Design kinda stuff.)

Listen to the Hellsongs soundcloud page.

Thanks to B'O'K!

2 comments:

Tim from Radio Clash said...

ooh I LOVE this - not so much this Paranoid cover, that's been done way before in many ways I can't really hear the song now - but We're Not Gonna Take It, and Run for the Hills...wow.

Reminds me of Susanna and the Magical Orchestra in a way. I guess the singing style.

RobJam said...

Hi, I'm a newcomer to your great blog, which I found by following a thread from Flash Strap. I can tell I'll be spending quite a bit of time here. Thanks in advance for all the weird and twistid toonz.
This is the first time I've heard Hellsongs and my first reaction is that they sound a lot like Nouvelle Vague, who are making a killing reworking well known songs from the 80s.