HELL IN THE CLUB – F.U.B.A.R.

F.U.B.A.R. is the sixth studio album by Italian Hard Rock band Hell in the Club. Not including their Kamikaze – 10 Years in the Slums EP from 2022, the new album is the follow-up to their Hell of Fame (2020) album. F.U.B.A.R. references the band’s past releases, but it’s also a continuation of Kamikaze – 10 Years in the Slums. Hell in the Club features members of Metal bands Elvenking and Secret Sphere. The band’s sound is a throwback to ‘80s Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, but with a modern twist. Oh and much better production.

Vintage But Fresh

The production on this album is amazing. The drums aren’t too loud, the guitars have the right amount of crunch to them, Dave’s vocals sound excellent in the mix, and Andy’s bass lines are quite noticeable. It’s always a breath of fresh air listening to an album where the bass lines play a prominent role in the songs. For example, “Total Disaster” is a banging tune, but the thumping bass line gives the track an edge.

Picco shows his diversity as a guitar player, going from the melodic Skid Row-like “Sleepless” to the spooky and chilling “Embrace the Sacrifice.” “The Arrival” is a feel-good, stadium rocker. It’s got big backing vocals, a catchy chorus, and pounding drums. “Sidonie” is a tribute to classic ‘80s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal bands like Dokken, Mötley Crüe, and Ratt. According to the band’s Instagram account, “The lyrics are inspired by Chez Krull, a prophetic novel written by Georges Simenon in 1938, about how distrust and hostility towards outsiders and strangers can turn into hate-filled violence.”

Final Assessment

Overall, there’s a lot to love about F.U.B.A.R. It’s a great album that takes influence from its predecessors without copying them fully. Hell in the Club have their own style and they took full advantage of that when it came to their songwriting. They could’ve dropped a couple of songs from the tracklist, but that’s a slight complaint. The music is enjoyable and that’s what matters the most.

Album Tracklist

1. Sidonie
2. The Arrival
3. Total Disaster
4. The Kid
5. Best Way of Life
6. Cimitero Vivente
7. Sleepless
8. The End of All
9. Undertaker
10. Tainted Sky
11. Embrace the Sacrifice

Band Lineup

Dave – lead vocals
Andy – bass guitar
Picco – guitars
Mark – drums