IM: WHUSDJ
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Musical Bazaar
One of the most unique bands to come out of Scandinavia, let me introduce Hellsongs - Formed in 2004, the Swedish trio of Harriet Ohlsson, Johan Bringhed, and Kalle Karlsson play loungey soft covers of traditional heavy metal songs. But, these are not parodies of the original tunes, nor are they note for note replications. The band rearranges the tunes and presents them in new ways. As their publicist notes: "Their transformation of Metallica's dirge-thrash "Blackened" into a sprightly, almost Joni Mitchell-esque singalong is boredering on genius, while their interpretation of Iron Maiden's chest beating power anthem "Run To The Hills" as a deeply introspective slice of acoustic melancholia is equally charming".
The complete track listing of their 2008 CD "Hymns in the Key of 666" is as follows, with the original artist in parenthesis:
1) The Trooper (Iron Maiden)
2) Symphony of Destruction (Megadeath)
3) Rock The Night (Europe)
4) Seasons In The Abyss (Slayer)
5) We're Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sister)
6) Blackened (Metallica)
7) Thunderstruck (AC/DC)
8) Run To The Hills (Iron Maiden)
9) Paranoid (Black Sabbath)
10) Princess OF The Night (Saxon).
"Run To The Hills" is probably also my favorite track. For more information on the band and their music, check them out at their website www.hellsongs.com They have recently played in Toronto, and have a new record contract. Hellsongs original female lead singer, Harriet has left the band, and she has been replaced by Siri Bergnehr. "Lounge Metal" lives on in Scandinavia. And, if the music isn't enough, it's hard to resist the artwork of the VW microbus on the CD cover....
