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Volbeat – The Strength/The Sound/The Songs (Mascot)

That The Strength/The Sound/The Songs turns a sweet 16 in 2021 is remarkable in itself.

The fact that Volbeat’s bold and brassy debut has stood the test of time is more surprising still.

TS/TS/TS might have crashed the Danish charts on release.

And it’s since gone on to go double platinum back home and grab a gold certificate in Germany.

But let’s be honest, Volbeat’s first long player is — and always was — a grower.

And back in the day the jury was out on whether this was the start of something special (which, of course, it was) or simply a quirky flash in the pan from a gang of Scandinavian oddballs.

Something Else’s chugging, Metallica-esque riff points at where Volbeat could have been headed.

And Rebel Monster leans on some equally furious fret burning.

But even in the early days Michael Poulsen made himself heard above the band’s thrash and burn melodies.

And given the talented frontman’s unique tone it’s perhaps little surprise that Volbeat’s heavy metal sound swiftly morphed into today’s commercially driven hard rock.

Poulsen is a prized asset. A perfect exponent of genre-bending ambition. And he sounds better than ever on the reissued vinyl variants of an enduring fan favourite.

The bonkers Pool Of Booze, Booze, Booza’ and sublime Soulweeper, leaning on that glorious Lizzy-esque axe work, still sound fresh as a daisy 16 years down the line.

And Copenhagen’s finest are firing on all cylinders on the standout Danny & Lucy (11pm).

TS/TS/TS is hardly a blueprint for Volbeat’s career to come.

It’s a raw and riotous explosion of pent-up frustration and simmering potential.

But there are plenty of nods to the future as Poulsen and co. race through the gears.

And who wouldn’t want to enjoy a visceral version of Alienized on glow-in-the-dark wax?

If marbled vinyl is more your bag then Mascot have made that possible too.

In fact, the 2021 reboot of TS/TS/TS is just as much about eye-catching style as it is about heavy metal substance.

One for the Volbeat completist and a perfect place to start if you’re late to Poulsen’s hillbilly party.