A sharp-eyed colleague of mine has been saying for years that "Sweden isthe new Australia," and here's more certification of his astute analysis.No sooner has the previously disinterested U.S. market gone so nutso for theircountrymen, The Hives and The Hellacopters, does this much-lesser-recognizedband's second killer LP arriveon the very same Gearhead labeltoshow us we have all barely scratched the surface of a truly titanic iceberg.Get this: now that they've done it twice, here's a strong claim that"Demons" (yes, the quotation marks around their name are theirs, notours), despite their relative obscurity, are the best of this geared-up GearheadSwede triumvirate. Once again perfectly produced by Tomas Skogsberg, this Stockholmquartet are being pretty cagey with this sophomore "slump" business,cause there's no suggestion of let-up in their quick, hard, full-sounding,zipping rock n' roll with total overloaded punk aggressiveness. Likea band in tune with Detroit chops as refined by that scene's legion ofAussie admirers, "Demons" take that recognizable style and filterit through a 60s Brit Invasion pulse.
Songs such as the state-the-case opener "Blackballed" and the souped-up,well-named "Hot Runnin' Blood" bring back distinct memories ofdays of discovering the early Saints and, more closely, Radio Birdman. Onlytheir big guitars are married to the early Hoodoo Gurus (Stoneage Romeos) hooksense and a tougher (but great-voiced) singer in edgy Mathias Carlsson. Theycan easily be faulted for a general lack of variety, and they really shouldwork on that on future records, but for now this is just too hot to care. AsCarlsson sings on "Come a Day" "Hey you, watch out for me!"Sums this up entirely.