42 Decibel - Overloaded album review

High-voltage rock’n’roll

Cover art for 42 Decibel - Overloaded album

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These Argentine AC/DC nuts certainly don’t beat around the bush on this, their third album: by deliberately turning their equipment up to 11 and beyond, they’ve achieved the raw, distorted vibe of AC/DC’s entire Let There Be Rock album. Nowhere is this more apparent than during the guitar solos on Dangerous Mess, Cannon Fodder and Hot Shot, where it’s like listening to Angus in full flight.

Fortunately, the Young brothers aren’t the only reference point – there’s more than a bit of Rose Tattoo in opener Whisky Joint and Half Face Dead, all unhinged menace and raspy vocals.

Ultimately, though, what 42 Decibel lack are songs that match the more memorable efforts of their heroes.

Essi Berelian

Whether it’s magazines, books or online, Essi has been writing about rock ’n’ metal for around thirty years. He has been reviews editor for Classic Rock and Metal Hammer, rock reviews editor for lads mag Front and worked for Kerrang!. He has also written the Rough Guide to Heavy Metal and contributed to the Rough Guide to Rock and Rough Guide Book of Playlists, and the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles (13th edition). Most fun interview? Tenacious D – Jack Black and Kyle Gass – for The Pick of Destiny movie book. An avid record/CD/tape collector, he’s amassed more music than he could ever possibly listen to, which annoys his wife no end.