It’s an impressive effort that’s both credible and commercial.Riding high on the success of their latest album “When Legends Rise”, Godsmack have been hitting the road hard this past year or so with the now veteran act hitting NOrth America for yet another run of shows. It includes a Western theme with a little twang, lots of radio-friendly cuts, harder edged tracks, the aforementioned guest vocalists and a lot of variety. ‘Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies’ has something for fans of numerous genres. The track did well on both the Alternative and Rock charts, and many will recognize it. Volbeat does ‘My Body,’ originally recorded by Young the Giant on their 2010 self-titled album. There’s a cover song on the album as well. Sarah Blackwood from the Canadian band Walk off the Earth duets with Poulsen on ‘Lonesome Rider,’ which has some steel guitar and a rockabilly vibe. Poulsen’s melodic singing contrasts nicely with Diamond’s falsetto. The song has heavy riffs, creepy female backing vocals and plenty of vocal acrobatics from King Diamond. The legendary King Diamond lends his world-class pipes to ‘Room 24.’ They may not be ‘metal enough’ for some fans that like their music more extreme, but they bring aboard a guest singer who is undeniably metal. Volbeat have the ability to morph from accessible rock to heavy but melodic metal like ‘Dead But Rising’ without missing a beat. In addition to their diverse influences, singer Michael Poulsen’s voice is very distinctive. Those influences and more are evident on this album, perhaps their most diverse to-date.Īfter the acoustic western-tinged intro “Let’s Shake Some Dust,” the album kicks off with the ultra-catchy ‘Pearl Hart.’ The rock charts are packed with sound-alike bands that are good, but lack a unique identity. Their sound has always drawn on many different influences, from classic rock to punk to metal to rockabilly. Anticipation has been high for ‘Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies,’ and Volbeat deliver.

Volbeat album review