ALBUM REVIEW: Hellcare – TSO

Italian alt-rock band TSO have put out their third studio album Hellcare. The band, formed by brothers Andrea and Marco Abbrescia, takes much of their influence from 90s rock and grunge, whilst combining it with catchy hooks and melodic rhythms that will remain stuck in your head. What we have here is an album that different generations of grunge fans will enjoy, and frankly something that could become a classic in years to come.

From start to finish, the 90s influence screams out at you. Opening with Already Knew, the first thing the listener hears is a stunning grunge guitar that then develops into a track that is just so cool and effortless. A common theme throughout is how everything sounds so naturally cool and collected; as TSO show off their chemistry and talent, it leaves you sat there with your mouth open in awe.

The album is like a journey; there are tracks that are loud and aggressive like Constraint which sounds like a blend between grunge and (soft) nu-metal whilst also bringing in industrial elements. In fact, a lot of the tracks bring in some rather interesting combinations that on paper sound too ambitious, yet it all works perfectly in the end. Slant combines psychedelic rock with melodic guitar rhythms that just sound epic and almost otherworldly; Despise Enterprise is an incredible combination of alternative rock and grunge that brings in elements that reminds you bands like FOO FIGHTERS with its anthemic lyrics, all nicely tied together with a distorted guitar breakdown; and Dugout is a slow, moody track in the first half that suddenly changes into something more distorted.

Alongside this are plenty of tracks that could very easily have been released during the early 90s as grunge hit the mainstream. In fact, songs like Brodo, an alternative rock number that brings in that beloved grunge guitar and melancholic vocals, and Getting So Real sound like they could very easily have been found in the discographies of legends like NIRVANA or SOUNDGARDEN.

What TSO have created here is a solid grunge album that feels timeless. Somehow Hellcare manages to exist in a reality where it could have come out in both the 90s and 2024. In a way, this feels like it should be a perfect example of where to take the grunge genre in the modern era: staying loyal to the tropes whilst also experimenting with different sounds.

Rating: 8/10

Hellcare is out now via self-release.

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