Norwegian metal and rock band Razorbats latest album “Hit Crazy” is an energetic yet unappealingly juvenile record.
Scandinavian rock band Razorbats are known for their combination of the 70s style of bands like Kiss with 80s hair metal and 90s pop-punk to create a celebration of all things rock n’ roll. Their latest album “Hit Crazy” further defines this as their sound, whether in the 80s disco evoking of the funk-rock track “Atomic” or the pop-punk song structure and rebel rock anthem of the opening number “(Maybe It’s Time to) Break up the Band” everything that Razorbats give on their latest record instrumentally can only be described as a commemoration to the vintage rock era. Accompanied consistently by blistering guitar solos, catchy choruses, thunderous percussion and bags of confidence its no surprise that the stage presence of this band is immense.
Despite their Nordic heritage, there is an undeniably American tone to “Razorbats” that particularly weighs in on “Hit Crazy”. Whether in their unapologetically corny lyricism, aggressively masculine take on the rock n’ roll genre or blatant influence from American rock artists and bands such as Alice Cooper or Kiss, there is a strikingly American manner with which Razorbats carry their music. At times, it is almost unclear whether this is ironic or not. Tracks like “Shotgun Wedding” would seem to be poking fun at American middle-class suburbia, yet there is no shift in the highly Americanised style of the band.
In fact, the only reference to Scandinavian culture to be found is in the uncomfortably objectifying track “Scandinavian Girls” – an apparently much-needed reassurance to the women of Norway that they are in fact attractive to a group of male musicians. Which cringe-inducing lyrics relating to seeing the Northern Lights in their eyes, as well as a questionable and eyebrow raising reference to a “tropical queen” met when traveling the world is enough to make the track awkward at best. The lyrics to the following number “Damn, She Looks Good” is much of the same, sounding as much like the thoughts of a twelve-year-old boy as the title suggests.
This ultimately is where “Hit Crazy” unfortunately loses its appeal. The childish approach smears otherwise instrumentally engaging tracks like “Love is for Suckers” with overly edgy lyricism about leather jackets and dirty jeans which is enough to turn off the ears of any self respecting adult. Sure, Razorbats may not take themselves that seriously and sure enough the lyricism may be ironic (one would certainly hope to think). However, there is a point where if done too often satire just becomes reality and all humour is lost. Instead, the result is a lot of otherwise decent songs coming across as frustratingly teenage, unclear as to exactly what or who they are rebelling against.