Hidden Gems & Guilty Pleasures: Hardcore Superstar (Sweden)

Photo credits: Julia Cronqvist

Hardcore Superstar (Hard Rock/Sleaze Metal // Sweden)

Many bands play it safe – Hardcore Superstar doesn’t. Gothenburg, Sweden based four-piece had the balls to marry two styles that grew up hating each other. We’re talking about thrash metal and sleaze rock.

After releasing five singles to enormous critical acclaim resulting in over 1,6 million Spotify streams, numerous sold out shows and in excess of 400 000 views on YouTube, Hardcore Superstar have unleashed their highly anticipated new album »Abrakadabra« in March 2022.

Building on the momentum and huge success of their 2018 album »You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘N Roll« the band were inspired and enthusiastically started writing songs for »Abrakadabra« whilst still out on tour. Connecting with so many fans, old and new helped to influence the shape and sound of the new record and the decision was made early on to once again work with Johan Reiven, who was responsible for production duties on the band’s ‘Black Album’.

Former drummer Magnus “Adde” Andreasson stated: “Working with Johan was like stepping back in time, there’s a shared intensity and commitment to excel that collectively drives us and ultimately brings out the best in us all… I am 100% happy with the result.”

This shared intensity can be heard on every one of the tracks from the defiantly rebellious »Dream In Red« through to the bar soaked philosophy of »One For All« and the thundering powerhouse that is »Catch Me If You Can«.

»Abrakadabra« contains 10 hard hitting songs exploding with riffs, attitude, intensity and that magical feeling you get when work is over and the weekend is here. This is an album for the fans and best shared with great friends, cold beers and very loud speakers!!

Hardcore Superstar is uncomplicated, Rock N’ Roll escapism and entertainment at its best… sprinkled with a little bit of magick for good measure!

Discography:
• »It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll« LP (Gain, 1998)
• »Bad Sneakers And A Piña Colada« LP (Music For Nations, 2000)
• »Thank You (For Letting Us Be Ourselves)« LP (Music For Nations, 2001)
• »No Regrets« LP (Music For Nations, 2003)
• »Hardcore Superstar« LP (Gain, 2005)
• »Dreamin’ In A Casket« LP (Gain, 2007)
• »Beg For It« LP (Nuclear Blast, 2009)
• »Split Your Lip« LP (Nuclear Blast, 2010)
• »The Party Ain’t Over ‘Til We Say So« Compilation (Nuclear Blast, 2011)
• »C’mon Take On Me« LP (Gain, 2013)
• »HCSS« LP (Gain, 2015)
• »You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘N Roll« LP (Gain, 2018)
• »Abrakadabra« LP (Gain, 2022)

Hardcore Superstar is:
Joakim “Jocke” Berg – Vocals
Vic Zino – Guitar
Martin Sandvik – Bass
Efraim Larsson – Drums

FFO: Guns N’ Roses, Backyard Babies, Sister, Reckless Love, L.A. Guns, Sister Sin, Crazy Lixx, Vain, Pretty Boy Floyd, The Hellacopters

Links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube | Linktree

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well