Norway’s hard rockers NASTY REPUTATION have been around the block since back in 2007. But more than anyone, this lovechild of classic sleaze and ’80s Sunset Strip has suffered from a severe case of the disease known as «frequent line-up changes». Despite the constant uphill struggle, in the last three years the head of nastiness himself, Mr Nasty Anderson, has managed to put together several demos and even some occasional gigs in venues and festivals all over the country.
Now with a stable line-up, NASTY REPUTATION are releasing today their debut album “After All It’s Rock ‘n’ Roll“, a 10-track collection of tunes with a hard hitting, growling essence of early ’80s metal in the alleys of WASP and Mötley Crüe, the sleaze factor of Crashdiet and Shotgun Messiah, all combined with the straight forwardness and melodic sense of bands such as Backyard Babies or Jettblack.
Songs arond the 3-minute mark which makes justice to the album’s title; “After All It’s Rock ‘n’ Roll” – not music that anyone hasn’t done it before; it’s just that somewhere along the way this magical thing went out of fashion… well, let’s put it this way; Nasty Reputation don’t do fashion, they play rock ‘n’ roll!
Opener “Slut Machine” brings back 1987 pure sleaze in full form with some Tigertailz on it. “Line Of Fire” has the Swedish hard rock vibe that is now famous around the world, while “Riot In Hell” is a different songs, leaning towards the glory days of NWOBHM.
“Suicide” slows things down and offer us more melody in the chorus, but that’s just before “After All It’s Rock ’n’ Roll” takes us right to the Sunset Strip! The band gets wilder on the really nasty “Freeride” or “Wild at Heart”, both riff-driven angry rockers plenty of attitude.
“Hit On You” shows us a more US 1983 metal side of the band, before the very arena rock “These Times”, a melodic hard rocker where the band even adds ’80s synths into the mix.
NASTY REPUTATION are very good recreating the 1980’s sound ranging from US metal, glammy Sunset Strip hard rock to traditional Sleaze. As happens with most Scandinavian musicians, they are very good players / songwriters and production is slick.
A band to keep an eye on… definitely worth checking out!
01 – Slut Machine
02 – Line of Fire
03 – Riot in Hell
04 – Suicide
05 – After All It’s Rock n Roll
06 – Wild at Heart
07 – Hit on You
08 – These Times
09 – Freeride
10 – Hell Outta You
Tommy Gunn Anderson – vocals
Lars The Heat – guitar
Billy McBarbie – bass
Heia Cpt. Baard Bård – drums
Storli Berg – synths on “These Times”
Nasty Reputation – After All It’s Rock n Roll 2022