1. Never Turn My Back
2. Rock Down This Place
3. On The Road
4. Natural Born Rockers
5. Since You're Not Here
6. Another Saturday Night
7. Raise Your Drinkin' Glass
8. No Appreciation
9. Forbidden Fruit
10. Star
11. Daydream Boulevard
12. Don't Throw In The Towel

Let The Games Begin is the debut of a clash between Secret Sphere and Elvenking, 2 of Italy's best heavy metal acts around. They bring us the high-octane rock n' roll that is Hell In The Club.

What can the metal heads bring to the rock table that makes this cooperation unique? A technical guitar attack, Secret Sphere's drummer and bass player's tight groove, and Elvenking's vocals to bring it all home.

Davide "Dave" Moras adds a level of singing that some frontmen can only dream of (check out the melody line on "Rock Down This Place" for proof). All these powers combined, hit you square in the jaw with upbeat feel-good Italian power rock.

These guys all have the talent to produce so much more than metal songs, and this album is the perfect way of demonstrating their combined gift.

Usually, I'm not a big ballad buff, but "On The Road" launches itself all the way up to the top of the power ballad list. This is what you should find in the hand book of rock ballads, if anyone would bother putting out such a piece of literature.

Andrea "Picco" Piccardi takes on a bit a blues guitar work to kick start "Natural Born Rockers", quite possibly one of the most thrilling songs I've heard in a long time. This song calls for multiple head-bang injuries, because a whiplash just won't cut it on this one. It's simply amazing...

I was expecting a mellow, bittersweet slow song in "Since You're Not Here", but get a subtly melodic masterpiece instead. Props go to drummer Federico "Fede" Pennazzato on the nothing less than great chorus and verse line. Goes to show once again that you can't judge a heavy metal book by its cover.

On we go with barroom rockers "Another Saturday Night" and "Raise Your Drinkin' Glass". The almost circus-like signature lick in the first song of the two and the rhythm beat all over makes this a beer song for sure, while the second of the two calls for the heavier stuff. It's sludgy to say the least, with Dave taking it down every now and then to let it all rip again. Get those glasses up high!

After this nearly perfect first half, Fede cannot help but kick out the metal. His double bass work on "No Appreciation" makes this track one of the heavier ones on the album, but luckily for those who aren't too keen on metal, the chorus makes up for any possible infraction to your rock n' roll laws.

As counterbalance to "No Appreciation", they groove away on "Forbidden Fruit". Think Skid Row with just a teeny bit more toughness. Great guitar work by the way!

Back to the bar it is, except that now the place is closed and you're sulking at the bar over some love long lost. "Star" is sweeter than honey, or at least it is at the beginning. Little by little, the momentum builds towards a grand finale, with some of the best vocal work of the album. Contrary to "On The Road", this one is far more typical in terms of heard-it-all-before, but why change a winning formula?

Hell In The Club breaks out the jams on the last tracks. Check out the almost Red Hot Chili Peppers-feeling bass groove on "Daydream Boulevard" and you'll figure it out. This is definitely not representative for what they stand for, but it's a great effort nevertheless.

Save some energy for the last song, cuz "Don't Throw In The Towel" doesn't hold back a single bit. It seems like just about anyone joins in for the backings, and Let The Games Begin is rounded off with a superb song.