Customer Reviews

Dreamin in a Casket

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I wasn't familiar with Hardcore Superstar when I picked this one up, but did so because they were mentioned heavily in the current Swedish Glam Metal scene, a sound often compared to the gutter rock from the 1980s Sunset Strip. Without question, I am NOT disappointed by this CD at all, and I just can't seem to take this disc off my playlist. Honestly, I can't think of a reason why I would want to. It is THAT good.

Dreamin' In a Casket is extremely solid from beginning to end; there is absolutely no filler material on this disc. While some songs are obviously better than others, there is not what I would consider a weak track to be found. Some are based on a very hard-rockin', infectuous guitar hook. Others revolve around a big sing-along chorus. The rest fall somewhere in between with a combination of the two. I think it is a safe bet that you'll find yourself singing "Mentally Damaged" or "Spreadin' The News" long after the disc has stopped.

Because I enjoyed Dreamin' in a Casket so much, I backtracked and purchased prior Hardcore Superstar discs. I have commonly heard that they are known to change their sound with each release, and in comparison, I find that statement to be true. It seems their early work was a little bit softer/poppier, and the drum sequences seem to be more punk styled that on this release. While I find all of their albums worthwhile, I think their 4th disc (self titled) was their best up until that point, but has been topped once again by this release.

If you're a fan of the Swedish Sleaze such as Crazy Lixx and Crash Diet, you'll certainly love this. If you're looking for something new that is reminiscent of 80s hair metal such as Guns N Roses, Motley Crue, or Love/Hate, this, as well as the other Swede bands I mentioned, are right up your alley, too. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Since the track listing is not included on the Amazon page (as of this review), here are the songs included:

1) Need No Company
2) Medicate Me
3) Dreamin' In A Casket
4) Silence For The Peacefully
5) Sophisticated Ladies
6) Wake Up Dead In A Garbage Can
7) Spreadin' The News
8) This Is For The Mentally Damaged
9) Sensitive To The Light
10) Lesson In Violence
11) Sorry For The Shape I'm In
12) No Resistence

Truly a great band! One of my personal favorites in the current Swedish Neo-Glam Metal scene, HCSS start going in a heavier direction on this album, yet maintain much of the melodic style of their 2005 self-entitled album. The band themselves call their style "Street Metal". One of their best efforts, this is the last CD they recorded with their original guitarist Silver. A must-buy for any HCSS fan!

This rawks! A little sleaze, a little blues, a little metal. Can't go wrong, really. I hadn't heard of this band until recently, but this is an impressive album. Aggressive!

"Dreaming In a Casket" is the fifth studio album of Swedish sleaze metal band "Hardcore Superstar" originally released in 2007, reissued by "Nuclear Blast" records in 2009 featuring three additional songs in demo version.

"Dreaming In a Casket" was the first step of the band establishing a heavier but also more melodic style of sleaze metal. The rhythm guitars are undeniably metallic while the solos have become far more sophisticated-towards melodic shred; still one feels the absence of melodic guitar lines during the main body of each song. Equal emphasis is placed on the lyrics and choruses, striving for catchy vocal harmonies and memorable choruses-though perhaps that does not appear to be the case amongst the first songs; never the less the more one moves along the track-list the stronger "Dreaming..." becomes.

Songs like "Sensitive to the light", "Lessons in Violence", "No resistence" and "Sophisticated ladies" are prime examples in the turn of direction (though one could regard it as natural evolvement) for "Hardcore Superstar". "Dreaming in a Casket" would turn out to be the last album to be recorded under the established line up of Adde (d), Jocke Berg (v), Silver (g) and Martin Sandvik (b) as guitarist Silver would leave the band, subsequently replaced by Vic Zino. "Dreaming in a Casket" is indeed a well developed album by one of the leading bands of the Sleaze metal genre.

Originally released in 2007, Dreamin' in a Casket was the fifth studio album from Swedish melodic sleaze rockers Hardcore Superstar. After a brief detour into less sleazy glam rock territory, it's great to have Hardcore Superstar back and doing this kind of polished party rock again.

With Dreamin' in a Casket, Hardcore Superstar proves why they're the kings of the new Swedish sleaze rock scene. There are a lot of good bands making this kind of music, but few do it with the style, polish and overall skill as Hardcore Superstar. Their music appeals as sleaze rock as well as well-crafted melodic rock. The guitar hooks and melodies are irresistible, the vocals have a great energy, and the whole album is just a lot of fun.

Dreamin' in a Casket is another fantastic Hardcore Superstar album, and one that any fan of the new sleaze rock sound should own. It's also a great album for `80s rock fans who still play albums by Ratt, L.A. Guns and Poison on a regular basis. This is real, fun, rock n' roll!

Edition Notes: Nuclear Blast reissued Dreamin' in a Casket in 2009 as part of their re-gouged - sorry, Re-Loaded - series. It has three bonus demo songs as bonus tracks. The demos are interesting, but honestly aren't important enough to make it worth re-buying the album if you own the 2007 version. I don't know why they didn't include the single "Bastards" that was on some earlier versions of the album. It would have made the reissue more appealing.