SHAKRA – High Noon [digipak version] (2016)
Swiss melodic hard rockers SHAKRA just released their new album “High Noon” via AFM Records. “High Noon” marks the return of the band’s former vocalist Mark Fox, who parted ways with Shakra in 2009 but recently announced his return.
“High Noon” is a great, no frills, rockin’ album.
“Hello” starts the CD off with a sharp guitar intro and a catchy chorus à la Def Leppard. Up next is maybe my favorite song on the record, the title track “High Noon.” It has a hard hitting intro, laid back verses, an anthemic chorus and a blazing guitar solo.
You have groovy sleazy guitars at the beginning of “Around the World” and a bluesy riff in “Eye to Eye”, while “Raise Your Hands” is an arena ready blast straight out of the ’80s, as well as the nicely written ballad “Life’s What You Need.”
Finally, no album in this genre is complete without some punchy, uptempo party rockers like “Into Your Heart”, “The Storm” and “Wild And Hungry”, the latter being another favorite of mine.
“High Noon” brings the return of longtime vocalist Mark Fox and a renewed passion for the band as a whole. Not that John Prakesh wasn’t a fantastic singer and the albums he sang on weren’t good, but the band really wasn’t entirely the same without Fox. His voice and addition to the band was what really set them on the road to what they’ve achieved so far.
Shakra has always had the ability to write some of the most catchy and memorable hard rock songs, amply demonstrated on this new CD.
For me, they’re on the same league of Pretty Maids and Harem Scarem: truly talented, but sadly overshadowed by far inferior bands. With “High Noon”, their 10th album in almost 20 years, Shakra is demonstrating why they have so much staying power and why they’ve remained alive and kicking all this time.
Strongly Recommended.
01. Hello
02. High Noon
03. Into Your Heart
04. Around the World
05. Eye to Eye
06. Is It Real
07. Life’s What You Need
08. The Storm
09. Raise Your Hands
10. Stand Tall
11. Watch Me Burn
12. Wild and Hungry
Mark Fox (vocals)
Thomas Blunier (guitar)
Thomas Muster (guitar)
Roger Tanner (drums)
Dominik Pfister (bass)
BUY IT !
www.nehrecords.com/SHOP/ShakraHigh.htm
.
