BUCKCHERRY (Hard Rock – USA) – Album review of their new album “Hellbound” – out on June 25, 2021 #buckcherry #hellbound
Band – Buckcherry
Album – Hellbound
Release Date – June 25, 2021
Label – Round Hill Records in North America, Earache Records in the UK, Europe, and Australia, and Sony Japan in Japan
Band Members –
Josh Todd – Vocals
Stevie D. – Guitars/Backing Vocals
Kelly LeMieux – Bass/Backing Vocals
Francis Ruiz – Drums
Billy Rowe – Guitars
Produced by Marti Frederiksen
Band Links –
Official Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
****review by John Erigo — SPECIAL THANKS to Atom Splitter PR for getting us the album early!!! THANK YOU!!!!!****
Pre-order it NOW and get the new single, “So Hott” INSTANTLY: https://lnk.to/BC_Hellbound
It’s kind of hard to believe it, but BUCKCHERRY has been around for over 20 years now. Starting out with their self titled album in 1999, which was an odd time for Hard Rock music, Buckcherry has forged a way of continued existence by sticking to their guns and consistently releasing good and fun rock n roll. In an AC/DC kind of way, sticking to the “formula” and never straying too far to the left or right. At this point in time, even though the faces and names have changed along the way, you basically know what you’re gonna get when you purchase a Buckcherry album, or even a concert ticket. In your face rock n roll with a fun attitude, and also a huge middle finger to “the man” and all the bullshit in our lives. You know Josh Todd has found a new way to weave vulgarities into songs (LOL! – I LOVE it!), you know there will be a heartfelt ballad, and you also know there will be an array of rock n roll shoved down your throat, in the best way possible!!!
The album opens with the song “54321” – an up tempo tune with a punk rock attitude. right off the bat you can feel the rock n roll anger of Josh Todd, who really tapped into his punk rock fandom here. With gang chants and an upbeat drive, this song is a perfect opening song for this album. Something caught my ear right away too was the guitar tone. Sounds like a much different approach on this album, with a more classic sound and tone. Not as distorted by nice and “dirty”! The next tune is the first single the band released from “Hellbound”, the song “So Hott” (yes, spelt with 2 “T”‘s) –
In my opinion, this was a great choice as the first single because the song encapsules what I was mentioning earlier, a typical Buckcherry song – flexing their rock n roll muscles. Great driving beat and backbone from Kelly LeMieux and Francis Ruiz. Also this is the first album with new Guitar player Billy Rowe, who seems to fit in nicely. Stevie D unleashes a furious guitar solo on this track! As you can see in the video, Stevie is playing an old school hollow body guitar which if that is what he used in the studio, could explain the tone of the guitars here. I like it, nice change of pace.
The title track “Hellbound” was released as the second single/video – I absolutely love the AC/DC feel this song has in the intro and verses. Another great example of the Buckcherry rock n roll feel and attitude. Other songs like “Here I Come”and “Junk” (which has a cool funky feel with nice catchy vocal lines) are right in the pocket. The song “Gun” features an opening Harmonica riff, but don’t let that fool you! The songs has a great buncy riff and a memorable chorus. “No More Lies” is a little laid back but has a great groove and even a Reggae type of breakdown section in it.
“Waiting No More” is a little laid back, slower, the band makes great use of backing vocals in this one. “The Way’ is the bands ballad for this album – nice job even though I usually don’t like ballads these days, but that’s just me! LOL! All in all, it’s a good song. The album closer “Barricade” has a again a bouncy kind of beat to it, nice guitar work too.
In the 21st Century that is filled with bands tipping to one extreme or another, with 8 zillion different genres (like Viking Shoe Gaze, Melodic, Death, Trap Dance Folk Music – LOL), it’s nice to see a band like Buckcherry stay the course and just play loud rock n roll with the middle finger to life attitude, and you can quote me on that! It seems these days it’s either cookie monster vocals or some poppy sappy watered down bullshit, Buckcherry proudly sticks their chest out and just flies that flag of dirty rock n roll. Thanks to them for that, here’s to another 20+ years of their brand of ROCK N ROLL!!!!!
Catch BUCKCHERRY on the road – here are their upcoming tour dates —-
BUCKCHERRY ON TOUR:
6/13 — St Louis, MO — Pops
6/15 — Cedar Park, TX — Haute Spot
6/16 — San Antonio, TX — Rock Box
6/18 — Corpus Christi, TX — Brewster’s
6/19 — Ft Worth, TX — Rail Club
6/20 — Tyler, TX — Country River Club
6/25 — Texarkana, AR — Crossties
6/26 — Houston, TX — Outdoor Warehouse Live
6/28 — Ft Smith, AR — Temple Live
6/29 — Huntsville, AL — Shagnasty’s
7/1 — Kansasville, WI — 1175
7/2 — Evansville, IN — KC’s Marina Point
7/3 — Hannibal, MO — National Tom Sawyer Day
7/5 — Lancaster, NY — Lancaster Motorsports Park
7/7 — Pittsburgh, PA — Vinoski Winery
7/9 — Gettysburg, PA — Gettysburg Bike Week
7/10 — Streator, IL — Streator July 4 Fest
7/14 — Omaha, NE — Barnato Lounge
7/16 — Joplin, MO — Guitars
7/17 — Chickasaw, OK — Legends Event Park
7/19 — Memphis, TN — Lafayette’s Music Room
7/20 — Baton Rouge, LA — Basin Music Hall
7/21 — Jay, OK — MAO Event Center
7/23 — Chesterfield, MI — Diesel
7/24 — Grover Hill, OH — Whetzel Motor Rally
7/25 — Cincinnati, OH —Riverfront Live
7/30 — Columbus, OH — King of Clubs
7/31 — Marietta, Oh — Adelphia Music Hall
8/1 — Indianapolis, IN — Hi Fi ANNEX
8/3 — Madison, WI — Majestic
8/5 — Dubuque, IA — Five Flags Event Center
8/10 — Columbia, MO — Blue Note
8/14 — Shiley Acres, VA — Shiley Acres
8/15 — Knoxville, TN — Cotton Eye Joe’s
8/17 — Hobart, IN — Hobart Theatre
8/19 — Ft Wayne, IN — Pieres
8/20 — Lombard, IL — Brauerhouse
8/21 — Escanaba, MI — UP State Fair – Grandstand
8/22 — Green Bay, WI — Epic Event Center
8/27 — Fountain, MN — Beaver Bottoms Saloon
8/28 — Walker, MN — Northern Lights Casino
8/29 — Clear Lake, IA — Surf Ballroom
8/31 — West Peoria, IL — Crusens
9/1 — Lexington, KY — Manchester Music Hall
9/3 — Nashville, TN — Brooklyn Bowl
9/4 — Charlotte, NC — Park Expo Center
9/5 — Chattanooga, TN — The Signal
9/7 — Ardmore, OK — Heritage Hall
9/10 — Flandreau, SD — Royal River City
9/12 — Flint, MI — Machine Shop
9/14 — Cleveland, OH — HOB
9/15 — Syracuse, NY — Sharkey’s Event Center
9/17 — Hampton Beach, NH — Wally’s
9/18 — Blackthorne, NY — Blackthorne Fest
9/24 — Santa Clarita, CA — Canyon Club
9/25 — Agoura Hills, CA — Canyon Club
9/26 — Montclair, CA — Canyon Club
9/28 — Tempe, AZ — Marquee
9/30 — Salt Lake City, UT — Royal
10/1 — Cheyenne, WY — Outlaw
10/2 — Billings, MT — Pub Station
10/4 — Seattle, WA — El Corazon
10/5 — Vancouver, BC — Rickshaw
10/7 — Calgary, AB — Eagle Event Center
10/8 — Dawson Creek, BC — Encana Event Center
10/9 — Edmonton, AB — Century Casino
10/11 — Red Deer, AB — Bo’s Bar Stage
10/12 — Saskatoon, SK — Coors Event Center
10/14 — Regina, SK — Conexus Art Center
10/15 — Winnipeg, MB — Burton Cummings Theatre
10/18 — Thunder Bay, ON — NV Music Hall
10/19 — Sault Ste Marie, ON — SOO Blasters
10/21 — Sudbury, ON — The Grand
10/22 — London, ON — London Music Hall
10/23 — Ottawa, ON — Barrymore’s
10/25 — Halifax, NS — Marquee
10/26 — Moncton, NB — Tide and Boar
10/27 — Moncton, NB — Tide and Boar
10/30 — Hampton Beach, NH — Wally’s
10/31 — Portland, ME — Aura
11/2 — New Bedford, MA — Vault at Greasy Luck
11/4 — Norwalk, CT — Granite St Music Hall
11/5 — Sayreville, NJ — Starland Ballroom
11/6 — Farmingdale, NY — Mulcahy’s
11/8 — Baltimore, MD — The Recher
11/9 — Harrisburg, PA — Club XL
11/10 — Jacksonville, NC — Hooligans
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