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"Very inspired by Gotthard, "Everest" is a quality album from a band that must now forge its own identity."
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4/5
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With "Fall", Shakra had taken a detour towards US Heavy Rock horizons with grunge accents but he had destabilised his audience a bit. "Infected" had seen him return to familiar territory, namely a racy, elegant and efficient Hard Rock, but one that was reminiscent of Gotthard's compatriots. For if Shakra's music is of undeniable quality, it has regularly lacked originality and personality.
And it's not with "Everest", the quintet's latest opus, that things will change. This is all the more frustrating as this band has a crazy talent. Mark Fox's voice, while reminiscent of Steve Lee's (Gotthard), is nonetheless warm, hoarse and powerful. The solos and riffs are always efficient and in perfect harmony with the ambiences of each track. As for the rhythm section, it is of an efficiency never taken in defect.
Each track is straight to the point, whether it is the ballads that never fall into the honeyed ("Why" and "Hopeless"), or the direct and efficient tracks ("Ashes To Ashes", "Regressive Evolution", ...). The melodies are worked out ("The Illusion Of Reality") and the choruses are sometimes worthy of future hymns made for the stage ("Love & Pain", "Let Me Lie My Life To You"). Except for "The Journey" whose structure doesn't justify its almost 8 minutes, and "Right Between The Eyes" which is a bit long, all the tracks are perfect. As for the production, it's up to the task, at the same time ample, powerful and dynamic.
So Shakra's work could be exemplary in every way. Unfortunately, the sequence of tracks becomes repetitive after a while, and above all, a question comes to mind regularly: "Haven't I heard this song somewhere before? On a Gotthard album, for example?".
The fact remains that "Everest" is a quality album and that you will have a great time listening to it. On the other hand, it becomes imperative for Shakra to succeed in forging a more assertive identity if the band wants to finally make it to the next level. They have the qualities, but by not taking risks, they could end up tiring their audience and miss their chance. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Ashes To Ashes - 3:51
02. Love & Pain - 3:19
03. Let Me Lie My Life To You - 3:37
04. The Illusion Of Reality - 4:37
05. Why - 3:45
06. The Journey - 7:54
07. Regressive Evolution - 3:51
08. Anybody Out There - 3:23
09. Right Between The Eyes - 5:15
10. Dirty Money - 3:24
11. Insanity - 4:48
12. Hopeless - 3:45
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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Top of the page
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(0) COMMENT(S)
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READERS
5/5 (2 view(s))
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STAFF:
3.5/5 (2 view(s))
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IN RELATION WITH SHAKRA
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OTHER REVIEWS
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OTHER(S) REVIEWS ABOUT SHAKRA
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