THE DIRTY CALLAHANS – Fucked Up & Standing

Despite the immediate association with fellows Scandinavians, the Hellacopters and Gluecifer, The Dirty Callahans are a Hard Rock force in their own right. It is easy to tell this band is a product of Norway. Call it regional definition, call it national identification (or whatever), this band is a pure Scandinavian/sunless winter deliverer of sound, which makes the whole Fucked Up and Standing process that much more unique. Though not quite as polished as its compatriots, The Dirty Callahans still deliver a hearty dose of no-nonsense rock /n/ roll.

The Dirty Callahans have been around since 1999, and the members are from Vestby and Oslo, Norway. This debut CD has been out since October 2004, and the band dares to rock hard. Before this release, the band ran through a lot of live performances at clubs around Norway. They played on the Underwood scene during The Norwegian Wood Festival in 2003, and that was their breakthrough. The songs on this CD were finished in 2003, but the boys didn’t get a record deal until 2004.

This 11-track CD does not offer much that is groundbreaking, but the band still pursues its music passionately and energetically with its intense guitar arrangements and the wild vocals. It is impossible to select a so-called “standout track” from such diverse work, but a song worth a thumbs up is “Cover Up.” A fun listen for every Metal fan, but the band could have taken some more risks on this debut CD.

The Dirty Callahans give a constant wall of sound. Great bass lines allow the guitars to go all over the place, so they don’t sound like they’re just trying to fill space. The drumming is pretty standard, even average in places, but it shines in others – it’s like the producer (Sondre Larssen) says “Less is more!!!” All in all, though, this is a good CD.

So, who are these guys? They are Norwegian monsters of rock: Kjetil (vocals, and lyrics writer), Pesh (electric guitar & acoustic guitar), Dr. Love (electric guitar & acoustic guitar), Sniz (bass), and Lars (drums). They are equally fond of tattoos, flames, and tight guitars riffs – the band almost gives an overdose of rock myths. Even the name of this band, The Dirty Callahans, are taken from the Clint Eastwood movie Dirty Harry.

In sum, this Norwegian five-some deliver a pretty good debut effort, and its sounds promising for their future. The arrangements are clever, but are in no way above average. However, The Dirty Callahans are a hot new band on the Metal scene in Norway right now, and in January they will play at Elm Street, a club in Oslo.