'80's Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band, Krokus have reunited with the classic One Vice at a Time line up of vocalist Marc Storace, lead guitarist Fernando von Arb, bass player Chris von Rohr, rhythm guitarist Mark Kohler and drummer Freddy Steady and have released a comeback record on Sony Music called Hoodoo. Two years in the making and 11 songs on the record, Krokus have continued their AC/DC themed Swiss Hard Rock.
The first thing that hits you about this record is how on Marc Storace's vocals are. It literally sounds like it is 1983 all over again! Storace's Bon Scott like vocals are still powerful and strong and are a real focal point to Krokus' sound. Hoodoo is a quality sounding record, produced by bassist Chris von Rohr, and is clean and clear with a nice tight tone. However, the downside is the bulk of these songs. Like a lot of aging ''70's/'80's bands, the songs on Hoodoo are all very much mid paced without much life. This seems to be a trend with older bands that get back together and record a new album; they are full of songs that are all on the same level without any spike in the action or much fire to them. The records turn out to be not much more than a reason for a band to tour and go out and play the old classic's, then to create a bunch of exciting, interesting new music.
The songs on Hoodoo don't have much life to them, which is a real disappointment. If you are hoping for a step back to the Hardware, One Vice at a Time, or Headhunter era of Krokus, you will be disappointed. The metallic sheen of that era seems to be gone with age and replaced with bland Rock tunes. And using the term Hard Rock would have to be used very loosely. CD opener, "Drive It In", gives you a little bit of hope that some interesting Hard Rock is coming from the old Swiss band, but unfortunately the 3rd track in squashes that hope with the completely over done and completely unnecessary cover of Steppenwolf's '60's anthem, "Born To Be Wild". This song has been re-done to death for over 40 plus years and has really been used as a cover for bands trying to re-claim an audience lost over the years using an old Rock anthem or as a Hard Rock/Metal street credibility thing. Does anyone in 2010 really need to hear this song again? And on top of that play it exactly as the original? No creativity what so ever and a real disappointment.
High points of Hoodoo are the already mentioned, "Drive It In" and the shot of life CD ending track, "Firestar" which is the only track that beckons those early '80's Krokus classic's. Hoodoo is not bad record, so much as it is just bland and without any teeth. I wasn't exactly expecting Headhunter 2 but I also wasn't expecting an even keeled, no balls Rock record either. Krokus' Hoodoo might be the closest to AC/DC that they have come in their career as both bands have had some rather dull releases as they have gotten older. Even though Krokus have never even gone away after all of the years, just more on the Swiss radar than here in the States, this is a comeback for them with a large release and on a major record label, but this is not the release to light a fire under fans. Krokus are back, but are you interested?
Track Listing
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
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