GHENT - After having converted the Flemish meadows 16 Horsepower could spread the rock-gospel again on Friday in De Vooruit in Ghent. The preachers of rock let us have it for more than 90 minutes as if the devil himself is at their heels and they have to buy off their soul with an inspired dose of countryfolkrock. Or whatever you wish to call their holy doctrine.

As Sackcloth 'n Ashes already was an extraordinary feat of Americana, the excellent successor has even more musical exorcising of the devil and other sinister stories to offer. In De Vooruit preacher David Eugene Edwards charms his disciples with musical sermons of which especially "For Heaven's Sake", "Harm's Way", "Haw" and "Black Soul Choir" cause goose flesh. One by one thrilling lectures from the large book of rock 'n roll in which slide guitar, bandoneon and banjo do most of the talking.

What we were aware of already has been confirmed again after a pretty intense musical high mass: 16 Horsepower preaches much better in the dark.

16 Horsepower as seen on 24 October in De Vooruit, Ghent. Judgement: ***.

Translation by Petra

To read an interview with David Eugene Edwards and Jean-Yves Tola in the same newspaper, click here.

The American band 16 Horsepower is to Belgium what an earthquake of 6 on the Richter scale is to Italy: something that comes back with clock-like regularity. This Friday, after T/W and Pukkelpop, the band was on a Belgian stage for the fourth time already this year in the Vooruit in Gent. Luckily without a trace of routine or boredom, which seems impossible anyway when you have David Eugene Edwards as a singer, a man who sings as if he's being chased by the devil himself.

To read more of this review from the Belgian newspaper, De Morgen, click here.