Metal Underground.com

Every once in a while there comes a rock band that is full throttle, unapologetic hard hitting rock n roll. With lyrics that are tongue in cheek but undeniably crude, a heavy bass – in fact, many times the bass takes the lead, and power blues strings, Supagroup offers up the kind of AC/DC inspired music that makes them one of those bands you just have to see live. These New Orleans natives are a testament to the lawlessness of the Big Easy, and their music will have you pumping your fist, tapping your toe, and singing along.

"Fire For Hire" is the latest installment in Supagroup’s discography, which spans nearly a decade. Despite the fact that Alice Cooper, who they once opened for, claimed they were the only band since Guns n Roses to get a standing ovation every night, Supagroup is noticeably low-key. Still, their steady, slow-burning success shouldn’t make people doubt their appeal. "Fire For Hire" is the perfect pick me up, an awesome album to pop in the player and blast down the highway.

Though four of the twelve tracks are old material, studio versions of their 2000 live album, "We Came To Rock You," the music is still appealing. Nearly all the songs match the timelessness of songs like "Old Time Rock n Roll," and speak to a similar audience. Though the chorus in "Lonely At The Bottom" is a bit reminiscent of Poison’s "Nothin’ But A Good Time," for the most part, Supagroup avoids the glam, focusing more on full-out hard rock.

Of course, being from New Orleans means there’s also a bit of a blues element woven into the tracks. "Mourning Day," which features a mellow, Eagles-esque sound, has some nice bluesy riffs, and if you didn’t know better, you’d think the guitar in "Bow Down" was actually a well-played harmonica.

Overall though, the majority of the songs are rock anthems. Every non-mainstream fan can relate to the lyrics of "Hey Kiddies," which preaches turning away from the same old stuff that the music industry crams down your throat, and "Jailbait" and "Fire For Hire" will both have you cracking a smirk. In fact, if you don’t laugh at the closing line of "Jailbait," you have no sense of humor.

There aren’t really any bad songs on the album, though the repetitive, single line chorus in "Long Live Rock" gets tedious, and the two minute breakdown at the end of "Roll In Smokin’" is great for the closing song of a live show, but loses something on album format. Still, it echoes the feeling you have as the album comes to a close - that you aren’t sure you’re ready for the show to end. This album is a great choice for no-frills rock fans.