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"This opus won't change the face of hard rock but it is nevertheless a beautiful testimony of it, successfully marrying melodies and dynamism."
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3/5
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It is surprising to see the contrast between Switzerland's reputation for calm and the recurring instability of the line-ups of many of the hard-rock bands from this country. Krokus has often set the (bad?) example by having trouble linking two albums with the same formation, but he is far from being the only one in this case. With Shakra, it's the singer that seems to be installed on an ejector seat. After Pete Wiedmer until 2002, Mark Fox had helped the Berne-based band before a conflictual separation in 2009. After two albums with John Prakesh, the atmosphere seems to have become cordial again, and the vocalist is back for a new opus that nevertheless feels like a duel, since its title ("High Noon") is also that of a famous western with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly.
As usual with Shakra, this new change has no particular impact on the quintet's music, which continues to chart its own course with its racy yet melodic hard rock, flirting with the most muscular productions of Gotthard's compatriots. It's true that the proximity of Mark Fox's and the late Steve Lee's voices favours a comparison that didn't need this, but Thomas Muster and his band seem to have decided to give priority to efficiency over originality. After all, there's no point blaming that fact, the quality being largely at the rendezvous and enough to make minor the sensation of déjà entendu that has accompanied each album for several years. It has to be said that, with catchy, scathing riffs such as those on 'Hello' or 'Watch Me Burn', and dynamic, upbeat tracks such as 'Eye To Eye' or 'Wild And Hungry', the pleasure outweighs any other feeling.
The first part of this opus is relatively unstoppable, linking the tracks with coherence, dynamism and enough variety to keep the listener captive. The eponymous track alternates mid-tempo verses and heavy, catchy, even haunting choruses, while 'Into Your Heart' offers a nice guitar duel on its solo. As for 'Around The World', after an introduction playing on a stereo effect, he throws a big heavy rock with a nice solo changing atmosphere and intensity. The opus suddenly s a notch with the power-ballad 'Life's What You Need' with its too obvious chorus, the beginning of a soft underbelly composed of tracks that are a bit too classical ('The Storm') or too predictable ('Raise Your Hand'), or even lacking in grip ('Stand Tall'). Fortunately, 'Watch Me Burn' and 'Wild And Hungry' partly revive the dynamics of the beginnings to leave an overall feeling of satisfaction.
Although Mark Fox marks his return with his vocal imprint, it does not revolutionize the identity of a band that seems to have found its cruising speed. The Helvetians offer us pure Shakra, not particularly original but with a beautiful efficiency, successfully combining melodies and dynamism. If "High Noon" won't change the face of hard rock, it represents however a beautiful testimony marking the reunion of a line-up which seems to have never lost its landmarks. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Hello - 4:16
02. High Noon - 5:06
03. Into Your Heart - 3:55
04. Around The World - 4:24
05. Eye To Eye - 3:52
06. Is It Real - 4:02
07. Life's What You Need - 4:14
08. The Storm - 4:15
09. Raise Your Hands - 3:46
10. Stand Tall - 4:10
11. Watch Me Burn - 4:03
12. Wild And Hungry - 4:08
LINEUP:
Dominik Pfister: Basse
Mark Fox: Chant
Roger Tanner: Batterie
Thom Blunier: Guitares
Thomas Muster: Guitares
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(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
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(0) COMMENT(S)
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READERS
5/5 (1 view(s))
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STAFF:
3/5 (1 view(s))
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IN RELATION WITH SHAKRA
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OTHER(S) REVIEWS ABOUT SHAKRA
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