Helldorado

Any attempt to define Helldorado would reveal that they are firmly entrenched in the indierockpunksurf-americana- country tradition, with Tarantino hiding in the wings...They succeed in combining elements of all their favourite American music and subculture, and still manage to sound unmistakebly like Helldorado."HELLDORADO - Director's Cut (Glitterhouse): This is an aptly named album by this excellent Norwegian outfit - their echoey, gothic take on rock'n'roll drips atmosphere and attitude, and would be perfect soundtracking some Quentin Tarantino flick. Blood Shack's clattering tale of lust and vampirism sets the mood, and the other 11 tracks are filled with epic quantities of murder, deceit, guts, gore, hellfire and brimstone, all of it leavened with a dark, twisted sense of humour. There's also more than a hint of Nick Cave in Dag S Vagle's songs and voice, and in a fair and just world, Helldorado would find similar amounts of fawning press coverage and sales. Some chance." (The Belfast Telegraph)DirectorscutHelldorado was formed in the spring of 2001 in Stavanger, Norway. Most of the members had been playing in the local band The Tramps for several years, and had considerable live and studio experience with that band.They where looking for a much darker and broader muscial landscape than they could find in The Tramps, and got together playing punked up surf covers with their new band Helldorado. After a while the band and their sound started to develop. They started adding their own songs to the set, and after a couple of gigs the rumours about the band was flying around town.In the fall of 2002 they entered the Stavanger traditional ZOOM week at Checkpoint Charlie in Stavanger (a full week of local bands playing & batteling for a spot at the ZOOM national finals in Oslo). Helldorado won the Stavanger leg, went to the final in Oslo and won there as well. The band was awarded a full tour of Norway + a couple of gigs in the UK and Germany (Popkomm in Cologne).In November 2002, shortly after winning the national ZOOM finale they released their first mini album Lost Highway at the local label CCAP. In November 2002 Helldorado released their debut EP Lost Highway coverThe album received stunning reviews in the Norwegian music press (Dagbladet; ..six strong, minor tuned songs, VG; Dusty and dramatic, Stavanger Aftenblad; Helldorado is a mescaline cactus. The best Norwegian rockband today, Rogalands Avis; Americana to kill for, Nordlys; This is the best CD I have heard in a long, long time)After they finished the extensive ZOOM tour, they spent considerable time in the studio in the summer of 2003. They developed a more aggressive, heavier and minor based edge.The fall was spent touring and perfecting their skills and their live soundIn February 2004 Helldorado finally released their long awaited debut album Directors Cut in Norway and after Directors Cuts release in Europe by Glitterhouse in October 2004, both critics and music lovers all over the continent are discovering the band.Glitterhouse UK says this about the Directors Cut album: Hellfire seems to be burning in each of their songs, be it the mighty, but balladesque tracks like "Diesel & Bones", the hard-rocking tracks like "Payrolled" or "Killer on the Highway" or the plain desert-rock anthems, such as the masterful "Blood Shack", there can be no doubt, Helldorado rocks! Apart from that, they are looking way cool (as if they just escaped the lunatics' asylum), and their live shows are legendary. Their musical roots are pretty clear: Gun Club, 16 Horsepower, Morricone, Chris Isaak and/or The Cramps, obviously without being copy cats of the aforementioned, they add something very specific to their music. It may be their ability to write fantastic tunes, hooklines that will make you shiver, and their ability to keep the quality of their songs, as diverse as they may be up on the highest level throughout the 11 tracks of "Director's Cut".The Ballad Of Nora Lee is the third release from the Norwegian quartet Helldorado. balladofnoraleeThe album shows a band that is still deeply fascinated and inspired by American music and subculture, combining elements from different genres but still managing to sound unmistakably like Helldorado. These guys are no copycats, they mean it man! They pick from the best and make it their own. Mighty ballads, stompinrockers, desert-rock anthems, Mexican trumpets, spooky strings and rockinattitude, Helldorados got it all.Since their last album, Directors Cut, the band has taken a step closer to the Mexican border, but the band still evokes the sensation of a burning sun on your neck, crunched sand between your teeth, a salty taste on your lips, a shaky finger on the trigger of a Colt 45, circling vultures silhouetted against a blue-white sky, a double whiskey on an empty stomach, and the smell of bacon, beans, gunpowder, leather & sweat.Helldorado have done four European tours and are building a solid fan base all over Europe. Not surprising really, they are a fantastic live band and their gigs are legendary. Combine their abilities as a live band with their natural coolness and a bunch of rocking tunes that other bands would kill for, and you have a success in the making.So get into your 65 Chevy, a few bottles of Whiskey, grab some good looking, mini-skirts wearing girls and drive through the night, waiting for what will happen. The perfect soundtrack is already there!Discography Lost Highway - minialbum (CD & vinyl) - CCAP019/020 Directors Cut - album (CD) - CCAP029 The Ballad Of Nora Lee (CD) - CCAP040Helldorado website