Released by Sony/BMG- 2010
Review Added March 19, 2010
Released by: Sony/BMG 26th FEB 2010
Style: Hard Rock
Links: http://www.myspace.com/krokusonline
Tracklist
1. Drive It In
2. Hoodoo Woman**
3. Born To Be Wild
4. Rock ‘n’ Roll Handshake**
5. Ride Into The Sun
6. Too Hot**
7. In My Blood**
8. Dirty Street**
9. Keep Me Rolling
10. Shot Of Love
11. Firestar
Hot Tracks**
Vocals – Marc Storace
Guitar – Fernando Von Arb
Guitar – Mark Kohler
Bass – Chris Von Rhor
Drums – Freddy Steady
As unbelievable as it may sound, KROKUS have been around for over thirty years. Of course it took a few albums before current vocalist MARC STORACE took the helm, but from that moment on the band’s brand of AC/DC inspired boogie rock took shape and hasn’t really deviated since.
Interestingly enough, HOODOO may just be the band’s least ambitious record yet, but still one of their best. We all know about the fact that KROKUS took their main inspiration from Bon Scoot era AC/DC, and have always stuck true to that as a base sound, but they have also always tried to tweak with the formula to find their own unique sound. Sometimes this has worked to a degree, whereas other times it has been a disaster. What appealed to me the most about the new album HOODOO was that it sounds like the band have finally settled on the basic boogie rock sound and have spent their time writing the best songs they can to fit the style. Sure there is a couple of tracks that experiment a little from the norm, but the vast bulk of this album is pure Bon Scott era boogie rock.
It’s funny how the more time passes, the more lead vocalist MARC STORACE actually sounds like the late, great BON SCOTT, and on HOODOO there is a few moments that would make even the hardiest AC/DC fan turn around and wonder.
Album opener “DRIVE IT IN” is a perfect prelude for what is to come on the rest of the disc and starts things off with a bang. “HOODOO WOMAN” is the first lead off single of the album and it’s not hard to see why the band picked this track, quite simply it just rocks on all cylinders. “BORN TO BE WILD” is a cover that just about every hard rock band in the world have done a version of, the new KROKUS version adds something a little different but ultimately we don’t really need another version of this song. “ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HANDSHAKE” is a definite highlight for me and coincidentally reminds me of one of my favorite AC/DC tracks ROCK ‘N’ ROLL DAMNATION. “RIDE INTO THE SUN” is one of the more experimental tracks of the album with its premise set in a ballad format and is one of my least favorites. “TOO HOT” gets things kicking again and will get stuck in your brain after the first listen. IN MY BLOOD follows the trend and should be a favorite amongst BON SCOTT fans. “DIRTY STREET” is another highlight and features a very swaggery groove with a great sleazy lyric. “KEEP ME ROLLING” is an all-out hard rock assault and sounds like it could have been lifted from the writing sessions of AC/DC’s HIGHWAY TO HELL album. I half expected the next track “SHOT OF LOVE” to be a cover, but I was pleasantly surprised to find one of the better tracks of the whole album. The album closes with “FIRESTAR”, a pure straight-up hard rock track that leaves you wanting to press the repeat button.
The main thing you need to know before going in to this album is that there’s little to no originality to be found anywhere. HOODOO should appeal to any and all fans of the mighty AC/DC and most fans of hard rock in general. Whilst some will can it for the copycat factor, I really enjoyed it and would put it amongst the bands best two or three albums, and a definite high finisher in my albums of the year list later down the track.
Written by Zeezee
Ratings Zeezee 10/10
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