I have the strange feeling that some of the most famous metal veterans had the same idea at the same time - to make super projects involving many of their colleagues in them in the beginning of 2008. Markus Grosskopf is the next proof to this theory. After he’s done his best in Helloween for so long now, he decided to create something different. It is not a surprise that the decision of creating the Bassinvaders project came to him while drinking in a bar. At this time Markus did not suppose that he will draw in more than two or three musicians for the cause to record a metal album without any guitars. Only when the participants grew to more than 13, it got clear that “Hellbassbeaters” has a potential to become a good record. The idea to forget about the leading role of the guitar in a heavy album is original, but the quality of the result depends on the careful process of creating it. In the 13 songs there are no guitars at all and their parts are played by one of the most famous heavy metal bass players. This sort of innovation is really odd and hard for assimilating. We can hear solos on bass guitar, there is also a rhythm bass, double bass parts, bass noise, bass rumbling, bass, bass, bass... In a particular moment everything becomes noisier than the good taste requires. Markus and his main co-workers for the project - Peavy Wagner of Rage, Tom Angelripper of Sodom and Schmier of Destruction may put much effort to prove that they can also make great music without guitars, but after the last song, “To Hell and Back”, we are left with the feeling that they’ve forgotten us in hell... At least Helloween’s “Eagle Fly Free” sounds interesting here. I admire the original method of approach, but not the final result.