Hank Williams III is indeed going straight to hell.
Initially I had a hard time trying to decide if this was a serious album or a caricature of the country music genre. After two or three listens I am convinced that it is a serious album. Lyrically it is as dark, destitute, self-destructive and morbid as any death metal album I have heard, and yet this album has a pure classic country sound, too far beyond alternative to be considered alt-country, done in a style that harkens back to his grandfather's era and roots.
This is not an album for minors, and in fact it might be a little rough for actual miners as well. Hank III seems to be aiming to be pegged as the blackest sheep in the Williams family and he hits that mark here. Songs abound about drug and alcohol abuse, and murder, death, and suicide. This is all of country and western's self destructiveness, compressed into one single release. Hank even takes time in the liner notes to jab a sharp stick at the Grand Ole Oprey and the Country Music Association.
If Hank lives as he writes, he is indeed going straight to hell.
I loved every song on this album. This is a must-have and needs to be place right next to Johnny Cash's final releases. Songs like "Country Heros" and "My Drinkin Problem" should be considered instant classics that cross genres. "Satan is Real/Straight to Hell" starts out like an old time gospel tune then rapidly turns into a romp & stomp hoedown. "Thrown out of the Bar" will make you want to get up and dance. "D Ray White" probably could have done without the echo effect but is excellent otherwise. "Louisiana Stripes" is just unreal. "Smoke & Wine" is a wonderfully bouncy pick fest set to a chorus of "I'm drinking & drugging, I'm having lots of fun, I always carry round a loaded shotgun," and "My drinking problem" with "My drinking problem left today, she packed up all her things and walked away" is an unbelieveable honky tonk. Hanks band is incredible, with Andy Gibson on steel, Joe Buck on the stand up bass, and Donnie Herron on fiddle.
Even if you are not a fan of country music, this is one album worth owning.
Favorites:
"Country Heros"
"Louisiana Stripes"
"My Drinking Problem"