| CD REVIEW Shakra |
 |
|
Band: Shakra Swiss Hard Rockers Shakra have established themselves in the genre as belonging to the top acts of their country, alongside such internationally revered bands as Krokus, Gotthard. The last time we at Concrete Web were enabled to review an album by the quintet, was with 2005’s Fall (posted 27/09). The band came in the news rather controversially, by making a video for that album’s track “Chains Of Temptation”, in which singer Mark Fox pretends to take an injection of heroin. The band followed the release up with a successful support to Iron Maiden at the Swiss Spirit Of Rock festival, and then went on a European tour with Hammerfall and Stratovarius. In 2006, they also played a huge show supporting Guns N Roses in Zurich. 2007 album Infected was released in early Summer to positive success (shooting to #7 in the Swiss album charts in the first week), but at that time their Benelux distributor temporarily took us off their contacts list (reasons unknown, and they again made contact with us themselves later on), so we have no idea what that album was like! Still, it’s about certain that nothing much had changed, as the new album comfortably continues where Fall in our eyes had stopped! Well…actually sómething hàs changed, because even while in the touring proocess for the album, bassist Oliver Linder decided to leave the band to give his life a turn. But the departure was really very amicable, the man even aiding in the search for a new bass thumper. His replacement would be one Dominik Pfister, a native from the same region as the rest of the band! Still, although the decision to incorporate Pfister was already taken in March ’08, “Oli” continued to tour with the band, playing his last gig on August 14, at the cllosure of the Infected Tour. But otherwize the band already found its signature sound years ago! Catchy new-Millenium Hard Rock with nice lead play and solos, which may not be innovating in any way, but which will induce countless heads to start headbanging! The icing on the cake comes with Mark Fox’ raspy and heartfelt vocals. What makes the band set apart from their country fellows and even in the genre, is the fact that they’ll never go mushy altogether, keeping a good portion of Hard Rock even in their somewhat balladesque songs! In essence, except for increasingly better production sounds through the years, Shakra’s albums have been comparable with each other since 2003’s Rising…but that ain’t a bad thing per se! Haven’t the likes of AC/DC done the same? And aren’t they still a million seller band? Well, what with today’s economy and music fans’ view on music being so different, Shakra may have to way some before selling more than a quarter of a million copies of one album…but that doesn’t take away the fact that each album I’ve heard is a killer one! Check out what’s posted at myspace.com/shakrarock. The last time I looked there were only songs posted off Infected, Fall, and Rising…but that’s more than 14 days ago (and I’m not capable of checking right now) so maybe the situation changed already. But anyway…remember my remark in the previous paragraph? Shakra may never end up in my year-lists, but I dó appreciate what they bring…hence the positive rating!!! 92/100 Tony. |