Take yourself back to the dance halls of 1950's America and visualise a three piece rock and roll band with an iconic stand up bass and you have an insight into Hellfire Devilles but similarities end here. There are no teddy boy suits, bootlace ties or quiffs. Musically they take small inroads into the musical style that early Presley et al pioneered but its only brief. And it's brief because Wayne and co tear up the rockabilly rule books, spit them out and then rip your face off.
It's brutal and honest rock and roll with an edge, so much so the band call it killerbilly, a fitting 'genre' methinks. No nonsense stuff here. 4 On The Floor is a four track EP with the stand out track (for me anyway) being Cadaver Stomp. Listening to it one can imagine oneself being hurled down the road in a dragster with flames erupting from over the top exhaust pipes as you screech down the highway on route 66. Wayne thunders away on the bass, Cow picks and plucks the semi-acoustic guitar as Nicklass batters the drums. Another three piece band that creates a big wall of sound. Admittedly, I've not listened to a lot of rockabilly stuff, only bands I've seen in a similar vein are local surfabilly band Elektra 56 and years ago, I saw the Beach Bastards. Hellfire have renewed my interest and intrigue.
Wayne was telling me that they have a full album already recorded and are just waiting for someone to release it. I look forward to that day because going by what I've heard on this 4 track sampler, it will be epic. The lads also back up their killerbilly sound on stage too (as previously reviewed by yours truly) and are a great and entertaining live act. Overall a great little CD, a great live band and one to look out for.
Words: DLW, Photos: Band media/Adrian Wharton
Bandcamp: https://hellfiredevilles.bandcamp.com/