Volbeat was formed in 2001 after frontman Michael Poulsen split up his former band, Dominus. Volbeat plays a fusion of heavy metal and rockabilly. They are inspired by the rock n' roll legends Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. No other Danish heavy rock band Volbeat has been able to get to position 18 at the Danish Top 100 for CD sales in over 10 years. This milestone was reached after their concert at the Roskilde Festival 2006.
Critics have generally been positive towards The Strength / The Sound / The Songs. The German hard rock magazine RockHard gave it 10/10 in a review.
Volbeat is also praised for its live performances. Their concert at Roskilde Festival 2006 received a 6/6 stars review in the Danish newspaper BT.
In week 8 of 2007, the record Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil debuted as #1 in the Danish Top 40 for CD-sales and at the same time The Strength / The Sound / The Songs re-entered the chart at #21. Recently, the album achieved gold status for sales in Denmark.
Volbeat opened the Roskilde Festival in 2007. Volbeat also supported Metallica together with Mnemic at their concert on Denmark July 13 of that year.
More recently, Volbeat was announced to do a seven-date European spring tour and to support legendary speed metal act Megadeth in Finland and in their home town, Copenhagen. They have also already announced a few festival appearances for the summer 2008.
Volbeat has a large range of influences, which can be clearly heard in their music. On their official MySpace site Volbeat lists their influences in their own recognizable way:
"Everything from Elvis Presley to Napalm Death .. hail: Johnny Cash, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Ramones, Social Distortion, Motörhead, Black Sabbath, Dio, Megadeth, Metallica, Manic Street Preachers, Iron Maiden and bla bla bla bla..."
Volbeat's lyrics usually revolve around love, failed love or the power of a twisted mind. They thereby distance themselves from stereotypical heavy metal lyrics, although many of their most popular songs have very dark or sincere themes and plots.
Their first single was the cover version of Dusty Springfield's evergreen "I Only Wanna Be With You". The song doesn't differ much from the original with regard to the lyrics, but the accompanying music video is quite typical of Volbeat. In it, the band is seen with a classic microphone on top of a city roof.
Another popular feature of the band's lyrics are the returning "series" of songs. This is best represented with the songs "Danny & Lucy (11 pm)" and "Fire Song" from The Strength/The Sound/The Songs followed by "Mr. & Mrs. Ness" on Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil. The story is about the two desperate lovers, Danny and Lucy, who are killed in a car crash after Lucy runs away from her family.
"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Ness, I'm so sorry to bring you this - We believe we found your girl in an old burning car way up the hill"
In the successor, "Mr. & Mrs. Ness", Lucy's mother commits suicide and the father is suspected for the murder:
"The old man is crying and he's lying - The blood on his hands' from his wife yeah"
The story is followed further by "Mary Ann's Place" from Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood, and was concluded with "You Will Know" off 2016's Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie.
Lineup
Michael Poulsen - Vocals, guitar (ex-Dominus)
Rob Caggiano - Guitar (ex-Anthrax)
Kaspar Boye Larsen - Bass
Jon Larsen - Drums
Former members:
Teddy Vang - Guitar
Franz Gottschalk - Guitar
Thomas Bredahl - Guitar
Anders Kjølholm - Bass
Official homepage : www.volbeat.dk
7 Shots
Volbeat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mr. Cadillac doesn't even know he's been fighting his own
He's been trying shooting all the angels/devils inside
Playing around with the good and the evil in his mind
Alone in the desert and cold so cold
Driving back to the 10 house city something is wrong
He found the killer weapon in his car on the floor
Feeding monsters in the back of his head
Killer, ripper, who are you
Take a look into the mirror then you will know
Heaven fire up my blood I'm waiting for something that's better
Welcome to a world of chaos, you've been caught in the light
Saw the door to the 10 house tale 7 shots in the night
Standing in the dark and shaking my own hand for a while
Saw the angel/devil vanished out in the light
Breathing new air for a day to begin
Soulless body with an empty shell
Killer, ripper, who are you
Take a look into the mirror then you will know
Heaven fire up my blood I'm waiting for something that's better
The price was high to pay and the memories are all crying like a child
A reason for all the blood that leaked, and a call up for the wild
Follow me to relentless street where all pain and love will die
7 shots in the body fakes well the loaded mind
The song "7 Shots" by Volbeat is about a man who is struggling with his good and evil sides, and ultimately succumbs to his inner demons. The opening lines describe the man on his knees, seeing the devil crying and sticking his tongue out. Mr. Cadillac, the man in question, is unaware that he has been fighting with himself all along. He has been trying to rid himself of both the good and the bad within him, but finds himself lost and alone in the cold desert.
As he drives back to the city, something is wrong. He discovers a weapon in his car and becomes delusional. The blood lost paints his mind and he begins to feed the monsters in the back of his head. The lyrics ask the killer and ripper who they are and urge them to take a look in the mirror to find out. The chorus speaks of a world of chaos and how the man has been caught in the light. He saw the door to the "10 house tale" and fired seven shots in the night.
The final verse reveals the man standing alone in the dark, shaking his own hand for a while. He sees the angel/devil vanish out in the light and breathes new air for a day to begin. He is left with a soulless body and an empty shell. The lyrics once again ask the killer and ripper who they are and suggest they look in the mirror. The song ends on a haunting note, with references to the high price paid and memories crying like a child. The loaded mind of the killer is silenced with seven shots in the body, and the pain and love of his life come to an end on "relentless street."
Line by Line Meaning
Down on his knees he sees the devil weeping/whinging his tongue
He is in a desperate state and feels as though the devil is mocking or taunting him.
Mr. Cadillac doesn't even know he's been fighting his own
The character is unaware of his self-destructive behavior.
He's been trying shooting all the angels/devils inside
He is struggling with inner conflict and trying to suppress both good and evil thoughts.
Playing around with the good and the evil in his mind
He is constantly battling with his own conscience.
Alone in the desert and cold so cold
He is physically and emotionally isolated from others and feels desperately lost.
Driving back to the 10 house city something is wrong
The singer is returning to a place of chaos and destruction, and senses that something is amiss.
He found the killer weapon in his car on the floor
He has come across the tool he intends to use to do himself harm.
Delusional the blood lost paint his mind in a cave
He has lost touch with reality and is consumed by visions and madness.
Feeding monsters in the back of his head
He is cognizant of the dark, violent impulses that he is trying to suppress.
Killer, ripper, who are you
The character is questioning his own identity and motives.
Take a look into the mirror then you will know
He is being confronted with the truth about himself and the darkness within.
Heaven fire up my blood I'm waiting for something that's better
He is hoping for a dramatic and definitive change that will improve his situation.
Welcome to a world of chaos, you've been caught in the light
The singer is being forced to confront the true nature of the world around him.
Saw the door to the 10 house tale 7 shots in the night
He sees the potential for ending his own suffering through a violent act.
Standing in the dark and shaking my own hand for a while
He is struggling with himself and his own inner demons.
Saw the angel/devil vanished out in the light
He experiences a vision or hallucination in which he sees an otherworldly being disappear.
Breathing new air for a day to begin
He is searching for a fresh start or a way to purge the darkness from his soul.
Soulless body with an empty shell
He feels as though he has been hollowed out and robbed of his essence.
The price was high to pay and the memories are all crying like a child
His suffering has come at a great cost, and his memories torment him.
A reason for all the blood that leaked, and a call up for the wild
He is trying to make sense of the violence and inner turmoil that has consumed him.
Follow me to relentless street where all pain and love will die
He is urging others to join him in his self-destructive journey and abandon all hope.
7 shots in the body fakes well the loaded mind
The seven shots represent the end of his torment and the release of his troubled mind.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MICHAEL POULSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind