Razorbats: Camp Rock!

Fresh off of its release of that last Sick Livers album that should have sold millions, Glunk Records continues to do its part to save rock n' roll. Available now from the Glunk web site is Camp Rock - the terrific debut full-length from Oslo, Norway rockers Razorbats. The album came out last year on Self Destructo Records, and you can now purchase it in the U.K. from the almighty Glunk. Razorbats are bringing real rock back for a new generation, and Camp Rock is a wonderfully fresh take on '70s hard rock and '80s pop metal.

If you're thinking that Razorbats are late entrants to the Scandinavian rock party, the punkier moments of Camp Rock won't discourage the comparison. On ferocious tracks like "Subway Grinder" and "Betty Boop", the band could indeed pass for a next generation Turbonegro or Hellacopters. But for the most part, Razorbats are more like those hard rock greats of yore that fully embraced pop hooks and radio airplay. These guys are like the grandsons of KISS and the great nephews of AC/DC. They're doing their best to make rock fun again, and I love that they aspire to write honest-to-goodness anthems! "Planet Riff" suggests what Def Leppard might have sounded like if they'd worshiped at the altar of Cheap Trick and Hanoi Rocks. Boasting monster riffs and a massive chorus, "Kids of the 70's" is the perfect homage to the heyday of arena rock. "Warhead", if it cracked the charts, would double the worldwide sales of cigarette lighters.

What I appreciate about Razorbats is that their mission to rock is 100 percent irony-free. They have genuine love for the bands they emulate, and they're not going to apologize for writing a song with mass appeal. They even take on a couple of power ballads ("Desolation Highway", "Transformer") and do a very credible job. While there's no denying the enduring popularity of '70s/'80s hard rock, it's unfortunate that so few people are aware of the newer bands in the genre. If there's any justice, Razorbats will be playing stadiums before too long. In the meantime, those of you in Scandinavia and the U.K. should be sure to catch these guys on tour this summer!



-L.R. 

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