Rebel Within

Hank Williams, III comes from the strongest family lineage in country music imaginable. No one personifies the aching melodies and relentless demons of vintage country music more than his grandfather Hank Williams Sr. So when Hank III decides to rest his death-metal interests with Assjack and investigate his country music roots, it’s with a chilling intensity that would make granddad proud. “Drinkin’ Ain’t Hard to Do” sounds like a natural extension of the honky-tonk lope of his ancestry, and his obsession with booze, women and mood-altering substances prove the apples sometimes fall directly underneath the tree. Whereas Hank Williams, Jr has opted for the occasionally rowdiness of the mainstream country lights, Hank III is virtually a purist. “Karmageddon” sounds like “Kaw-Liga” delivered as a death dirge. “Lost In Oklahoma,” “Lookin’ for a Mountain,” “Drinkin’ Over Momma” and “Gone But Not Forgotten” are among the finest pure country tunes available. And for fun, he turns up the tempo on “Tore Up and Loud.” It’s an admirable collection true to the family name.