Album Review | Steel Rhino – In Rhino We Trust

Steel Rhino
In Rhino We Trust
Label: GMR Music Group
Out: October 21^st, 2023
Playing time: 42:10

Steel Rhino hail from Malmö in Sweden. At least two thirds of the musicians. Herbie Langhans (Firewind, among others) has taken over the microphone. He can also be heard on the band’s second album. What can you expect from this album? Classic Hard Rock. Jacob Hansen (e.g., Dynazty, Volbeat, Evergrey, Amaranthe) was once again responsible for the final processing.

Right from the first two songs “Stand Up And Shout” and “Strike Hard”, the Swedish-German collaboration takes no prisoners. Powerfully played Hard Rock. Of course, enriched by lead singer Herbie Langhans. A drawn sword blade opens the metal anthem “Blades”. The riffs and, of course, the vocals dominate. The tempo is slowed down a little on “We Rise”. A rhythmic mid-tempo stomper. The short epic instrumental interlude “Final Stand” leads into the title track “In Rhino We Trust”. And this is the absolute highlight of the album. Epicness is combined with heaviness. And Herbie lets out high Metal screams again and again. A Metal anthem at its best. “Judgment Day” then moves back in the direction of High-Speed Metal. With an ingenious melody in the chorus. Another mid-tempo anthem follows with “Dr Jekyll Mr Hyde”. With “Time To Be King”, Death Steel is poured out once again. While the final song “Ignoring Gravity” brings one last sweat-inducing tempo.

If I could, I would have “In Rhino We Trust” on permanent rotation. That’s how brilliant this record is. Everything is just right here, from the rhythm section to the riffs and guitar licks to the vocals. You don’t hear something like this every day. The three of them have sought and found each other. Chapeau!

Lineup:

Mikael Rosengren – Drums
Herbie Langhans – Vocals
Filip Vilhelmsson – Guitar, Bass

Track list:

• Stand Up And Shout
• Strike Hard
• Blades
• We Rise
• Final Stand 
• In Rhino We Trust 
• Judgement Day
• Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hide
• Time To Be King
• Ignoring Gravity