I'LL BE DAMNED

We’re all damned. Most of us just don’t know it yet. The world is dancing a grim fandango right on the edge of the abyss, one foot dangling over the edge. This, however, is no reason to panic as I’ll Be Damned, Denmark’s hottest Rock sensation since Volbeat, are underlining on their sophomore effort “Road to Disorder”. If we must go down, they say, then we will go down dancing, drinking and in style.
Because go down we must, as they also say in their rather gloomy album title. “It’s a comment to all the economic growth enthusiasts out there”, says singer Stig. “While we get richer and fatter the earth is dying in our wake. We live in decadent times and soon the universe will take control. It’s an entropy thing.”

Dark issues, clad in explosive tunes: The direction is similar to that taken on last years’ self-titled debut sensation. Yet, nobody in this band is burying his head in the sand – even though the one or the other track off the new record are decidedly more doomy and gloomy. “There is no need to take things too seriously when we are all dust in a second”, Stig states. “We need more joy, fun and happiness in our lives. Fuck it, we are already dead!”
Ah, nothing like a healthy dose of fatalism in the morning! Still, he and his troupe are eager to make the most of it in their few decades in the sun. “We just want, what everybody else wants”, he points out. “Enlightenment, fun, rage, partying, burning the rich...” You might have guessed already, but we’ll point it out anyway: Yes, humour plays an integral part in this band. But don’t you ever call them a Fun Rock band! They’re very serious when it comes to their damned little baby as can be clearly seen from their impressive path over the last twelve months. “I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s been absolutely fantastic playing in Germany for the first time. Incredible hospitality and we already gathered a few hardcore fans down there. We never want to go home again!” As a matter of fact, they almost didn’t: “One of our best experiences was supporting Danish rock heroes Dizzy Mizz Lizzy on their German tour. Not many Germans know about Dizzy but they are probably the biggest rock-act in Denmark since the early nineties, so it was a huge honour.”

The rest of last year was invested in “Road to Disorder”. And you can hear it, too. Instead of bragging about how far they’ve come since their debut, they simply plug in and let the music do the talking. Metal, Punk, Stoner, Rock’n’Roll or Blues have been mangled and reassembled into something big and uncannily anthemic. “We have very broad minds musically and love all sorts of different genres, so it’s quite natural for us to just do a lot of different styles. It’s much more fun than just doing one thing. But yeah”, he adds, “we ourselves were actually quite surprised by the diversity when we had the finished album in our hands, but we love it!” Here’s to letting go and just riding the rollercoaster!

And a huge rollercoaster it is! “Road to Disorder” bears every sign of a triumphant second album. Balls, power, anthems and a swagger with a vengeance: If the first album was hot, this one is melting metal! “Everything went in it!”, the singer points out. “It’s been a long hard process that has cost quite a lot of time and energy but we are fucking excited about the result. It’s the hard follow-up, so we wanted to do it right. The thing about sophomore albums is that they have a much more condensed time period to develop in.” They made the most of it, relocated to a summer house in the middle of nowhere and worked on the songs. “Maybe we also got a little stoned”, he helpfully adds. We now know: it was all worth it.

Just take the opener “Stephen Hawking Talking”, a furious uptempo banger. “That one got wrapped up in the very last minute”, the frontman recalls. “Only fitting that it’s the one kicking off the record!” Driven by samples of the lauded astrophysicist, the band wittily honours his achievements. “He has opened up the understanding of the universe to mankind”, Stig states. “He has had an immense impact on how we understand our place in the universe and how small and insignificant (and stupid!) we are.” Quite fitting given the rest of the songs’ backgrounds: The massive Doom slab “The Entire Universe” is about how we perceive reality so very different. “But in the end all will meet the ultimate reality of the universe, that is nothing”, the singer gives a very bright outlook. “’Flag Follows The Money’ tells how wars are waged not on behalf of freedom and democracy but for profit”, while the stomping “You Are The Young” is about “these hipster kids soaked up in indulging themselves, their butts, their bikes, their phones. They should get up and fucking rage!” One thing is for sure: They have the right soundtrack for that now.

 

www.illbedamned.dk

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RELEASES

 

I'll Be Damned - Road To Disorder

Tracklist:

01. Stephen Hawking Talking
02. The Entire Universe
03. You Are The Young
04. Pigburner (Feat. Baest)
05. Luck Could Change
06. Flag Follows The Money
07. Keep Warm Burn The Rich
08. Just Ain’t Right
09. A Hanging Job
10. Arrow Of Time (Road To Disorder)

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Ill Be Damned - Ill Be Damned

Tracklist:

01. Believe It
02. Fever
03. Drainage
04. Fuck The World (Be Happy)
05. Real Monsters
06. Your Only Home
07. People Who Hate People (Come Together)
08. Schizophrenic Homos
09. Right On The Money
10. Everything Wiggles
11. Shopping With A Shotgun
12. All Be Damned

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