Don Huevo – Outside in the Hallway Review

The kind of album that got my attention because of the name of the band, Don Huevo, and because of the press release that tagged it as Hard Jam Rock. First thing in my mind “What the hell is Hard Jam Rock?” I had no clue so I had to listen to “Outside in the Hallway” and give it a honest chance. Well, I found that Hard Jam Rock to me is the good old Heavy Rock with some Jazz and Blues hints with the guitar mostly doing open chords with an overdrive. I have to say that I love this combination. It’s something that I really appreciate and it’s been some time that I haven’t found anything that couldn’t get even near – well, to tell you the truth there were a few bands here that gave me the pleasure. Please, don’t ask me which ones…

Ok, then, I defined “Outside in the Hallway” as the good old Heavy Rock with some Jazz and Blues hints with the guitar mostly doing open chords with an overdrive. well, that is the truth up to the third track. “Mountain Breeze” and “Floating Amongst the Airwaves” do follow this accurate description I gave – accurate, huh? I felt some resemblances of classic 1970s rock as The Doobie Brothers and some Jefferson Airplane, the last one just a little. I love the minimalistic vocals. I’l elaborate. Minimalistic vocals is the vocalist that sing with implyingno other effect than the voice itself in the act of singing. Singer Daniel Henig does that. Simple, plain, and nice. The same goes with the guitars which hide a complexity that many can’t observe right away. It’s not easy to find always the simplest solution. Few effects, few flamboyanting, few notes. Simple and great. Maybe I’m telling all this because loved the tone of the guitars in the middle of tittle track “Outside in the Hallway” which reminds a lot the great Carlos Santana. To be frank, all the song reminds a lot the late 1960s Santana. Better yet, after listening to the guitar solo in “Cave” I have to say that all the album reminds a lot Santana. By the way, what a cool drumming. I loved the hi hats.

Fun album to metallers who like the late 1960s and early 1970s rock. I myself love the textures. Open chords give a very different tone to songs. They fill in all the blanks in a song giving them the feeling to be complete and full. Good to relax.

Don Huevo “Outside in the Hallway” was independently released on August 27th.

Track Listing:

  1. Mountain Breeze
  2. Floating Amongst the Airwaves
  3. Wasted
  4. March of the Marshmallows
  5. Outside in the Hallway
  6. Cave
  7. Walking the Rue
  8. Euphoria
  9. Solstice (Instrumental)
  10. Dugan’s on the Way

Watch “Outside in the Hallway” official video here: