Album review : HELL IN THE CLUB – The Joker In The Pack

Frontiers Music [Release date 7.11.25]

The Hell In The Club line up comprised originally of ex-members of better named bands, like Elvenking (Dave Moras), Secret Sphere (Andrea Buratto) and Wrathchild (Andrea Piccardi). Of course the HITC band name is old news, past the point of question. Still, the cheesiest, corniest album title you could think of is a worry. Not a good start to album no.7.

So, it’s just as well this exhilarating, sleaze tainted tour-de-force of tightly produced melodic hard rock is so good.

Vocalist Dave Moras has gone, to be replaced by Terese “Tezzi” Persson. Tezzi served her time as a studio backing vocalist, before moving onto the bands Venus 5 and Infinite And Divine, and now HITC.

Her rough hewn vocals are the perfect fit, complementing the alternately sawing, grinding, soaring guitars and thumping beats.

No question, the joker played an ace and won a queen (…cough…).

The Joker… is full of jagged rock nuggets swathed in major chords, like ‘The Devil Won’t Forget’ where a catchy chorus suddenly rises like a Desmond Child moment, immediately capturing our attention, and ‘New Desire’: few bands could cram this track’s fierce and fiery hard rock… and melody… into such a narrow timeframe.

A lot of tracks adhere to this basic formula, with just enough variation to enjoy the differences.

Like ‘Fairytale’ is moodier, darker, and ‘Robert The Doll’ is punchier, chorus heavy, wrapped tight around a smooth melodic middle section.

Standout moments though are probably the inevitable ballad, ‘The Ocean’. It’s a wistful paean to the mystery and magic of a watery world that’s inspired countless romantic tales, and will no doubt inspire many more. The magnificent rock rush of ‘Magentars’ isn’t far behind.

A cracking little album from an underrated band. Cool artwork too. ***1/2

Review by Brian McGowan

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