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Only people hiding under rocks the last couple of years haven’t noticed VOLBEAT in the musical landscape. The impressive success and recognition that the band enjoyed on the first album ”The Strength / The Sound / The Songs” in 2005 and 2006 is next to nothing compared to the explosive impact VOLBEAT had in 2007 with the follow-up ”Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil”. From having played small to mid-sized venues in Denmark VOLBEAT found themselves on the biggest stages and festivals. The audience was eager to experience the sheer live energy that VOLBEAT’s music radiates.

Very seldom does the local success of a Danish rock and metal band translate to other territories but in VOLBEAT’s unique case the word has definitely spread like a fever. Having worked their way up from playing small European venues supporting bigger bands VOLBEAT now headline big halls and festivals in Germany, Sweden, Finland, and the Benelux, to name a few. The band’s international breakthrough is a reality. Last year ”Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil” was voted ”Album Of The Year” in big international magazines and at the release of ”Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood” VOLBEAT graced the covers of many of Europe’s biggest magazines in e.g. Germany, Sweden, Holland and France.

Having debuted at a sensational number 1 on the Danish album charts with ”Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil”, having received a lot of awards and prices, as well as obtaining both gold and platinum status in their home country, then what’s left to dream about for a young band like VOLBEAT?
”Many of our dreams have come true but we never feel that we reach the top of the mountain,” explains lead-singer and guitarist in VOLBEAT Michael Poulsen, and continues: ”There’s still plenty to aspire to, and lots of challenges to take up. Now we’re on the verge of entering USA, and who knows what will happen? We’re still hungry, and we love what we do, so there’s absolutely no reason to stop now. As a matter of fact I think we’re even hungrier now than ever.”
Upon a success like VOLBEAT’s musicians often panic and get a serious case of writer’s block. Fortunately the band’s primary song writer Michael Poulsen is equipped with the confidence of a prize-fighter set on getting another title. This gave him the ability to write an astounding 28 songs prior to the recording of ”Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood”, of which the band decided to record 13 (plus an intro).

For the third time in a row VOLBEAT chose producer Jacob Hansen, a gentleman who’s international reputation has grown steadily since his work on VOLBEAT’s debut ”The Strength / The Sound / The Songs”. Jacob Hansen knows all the ins and outs of the band, it’s chemistry and completely unique musical expression, so naturally he was the man to bring the many ideas of Michael Poulsen and the rest of VOLBEAT to a new level. Together they got ”Guitar Gangsters And Cadillac Blood” down on tape in less than three weeks – a phenomenal feat for a band with so many artistic and commercial expectations weighing on their shoulders.
”To a certain degree I’m a perfectionist. The towels don’t have to hang dead straight but when it comes to writing music I always try to keep a really high standard and to top myself,” Michael Poulsen elaborates: ”Some people feel good about being well prepared for exams - that never meant anything to me though. I was too busy getting tattooed. However, when it comes to recording new material we always show up very well prepared. Jacob Hansen is a good song writer too, so besides from wanting to impress yourself you always want to have your act together when you record with him.”
No doubt, ”Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood” is in many ways a dazzling achievement and experience. Just take a listen to the span from the opening title track to ”Still Counting” and ”Light A Way”, further across the album’s two first singles ”Maybellene I Hofteholder” and ”Mary Ann’s Place”, featuring famous Danish vocalist Pernille Rosendahl (formerly of Swan Lee, now The Storm), not to mention the two tributes ”Wild Rover Of Hell” and ”I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”. Indisputably and very consciously the 13 songs on the album bristle in various musical directions but thanks to VOLBEAT’s brilliant playing and characteristic sound the compositions are masterly tied together into an inspiring and inspired whole. This is further underlined by the album’s loose story of a male character bleeding in the desert in a Cadillac riddled with bullet holes. The story begins when the authorities show up to examine the crime scene. The man has left and is on his way into “The Ten House City”. No more should be revealed here.

”Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood” is the musical equivalent to the last tough part of a triathlon. ”The Strength / The Sound / The Songs” gave VOLBEAT an unusually good start. The follow-up “Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil” proved that the success wasn’t based on luck but on equal part talent and hard work. They didn’t just keep a good split time, they left the competitors behind. Now the time has come. On ”Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood” VOLBEAT keep momentum and improve themselves on a