If you had to guess what Hank Von Hell’s solo record was going to sound like, would you say that it might have a song on it about a Honey Badger strutting round the town with his…..lets say…..old chap hanging out called “Pretty Decent Exposure”?
Or how about one that rhymes the words “Bum To Bum” with “beat of my drum” without a care in the world?
If you answered yes to both those things, then, brother, you are bang right.
As the frontman in Turbonegro, Hank proved that he was formidable, plus had a knack for delivering rock n roll of the highest order.
Now that he’s ….urmmm….playing with himself, as a solo artist (what did you think I meant?) then there’s not a lot different.
The 10 songs that pass by in a blur here, are more glam and a bit less punk rock – opener “Egomania” is a shines like a glitterball – but they bring the riffs, the tunes, the attitude and just about everything else you could possibly want.
I hadn’t realised until the first press release came announcing “Egomania” that it had been eight years away from the scene (seen maybe? As you imagine limelight is important to him) for Hank, whatever, one listen to “Blood” – one of its first singles and something as gloriously simple as Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock n Roll” – makes you wonder why.
It’s not our business, though and Hank obviously wasn’t ready. He is now. And he’s horny. That is to say there is a use of horns on “Blood” that is just wonderful (again, what did you think I meant?)
“Dirty Money” is possibly the best of the lot. Sunset Strip in the 80s never sounded as filthy as this, “Never Again” tries to be a ballad, but rather than never again, seems to suggest it would do it once more with feeling. It’s like an Alice Cooper song. And praise should never be higher than that, to be fair.
“Bombwalk Chic” parties on down. There is mention of “your favourite Bolivian” here, we’ll probably leave that there – except he does rhyme it with “Fade To Oblivion” just for fun. “Wild Boy Blues” is so damn cool it could have been on the Backyard Babies “Total 13” record. And special mention here too for the guitar work from Cat Casino (this might be a stage name. On the other hand, a drummer called Dead Said Fred, is most certainly real…..)
“Too High” is bubblegum punk of rare vintage, and if you need me to explain why a slow burner that begins almost like a Tom Waits-ish thing, but ends with a Maiden-esque gallop and which is called. “Adios (Where’s my Sombrero?)” is the way all albums should end, then you probably don’t get Hank Von Hell.
Put simply, without wanting to stroke anyone’s huge…..ego…..any more than it needs to be fiddled with, “Egomania” rules. Then it rules again. Then it rules some more. Welcome to Hell, indeed.
Rating 9/10
