After a 23 year wait, Black’n’Blue returns with their 5th studio record “Hell Yeah!”. Fans will be happy to know that they don’t stray too far from what they’re known for… the classic sound is still there.
The CD kicks off with an aggressive track “Monkey”, and ends with a very obscure “Tribute To Hawking”. Musically Black ‘N Blue is as tight as ever. All the big rock power chords and pop hooks are intact. New guitarist Shawn Sonnenschein fits in perfectly as the replacement for Tommy Thayer (who is currently recording and touring with KISS). The album only slows down once for the semi-ballad song “Fool’s Bleed”. Two of the songs (“HellYeah!” and “So Long”) were previously released in demo form on the 2007 compilation “Rarities”, but these newer versions are far better than the demos.
All 11 songs on Hell Yeah! can definitely stand on their own along side their previous works. This is a solid effort that will appeal for anyone who was a fan of the band in the 80's or for those who just miss that fun, party vibe which, unfortunately, is missing from much of today’s modern rock releases.
Reviewed by Todd Carlson
