KING KOBRA – We Are Warriors (2023) *HQ*

An all-new KING KOBRA is back and ready to strike with their boldest album yet; “We Are Warriors“, to be released by CleoRecs / Deadline. KK founder legndary drummer Carmine Appice is joined once again by longtime bassist Johnny Rod, and vocalist Paul Shortino who welcome to the den the newest vipers, Quiet Riot guitarist Carlos Cavazo and former Dio member Rowan Robertson!
This is a killer line up and works heavy n’ busy all over the record, with a metallic edge and punchy production. If you love that bluesier hard rock that eschews speed for feel then “We Are Warriors” is a keeper.
This CD version includes two bonus tracks.

‘We Are Warriors’ shows how the veteran band can still turn out a decent hard rock tune or six when they really try. Opener ‘Music Is A Piece of Art’ – which was the working title for the CD ‘ – sets things off in a positive mood when the band latch onto a Zeppelin-esque swagger, complete with Carmine Appice turning in his best John Bonham impersonation behind the drum kit. His drums are massive in the end mix, and this is a good thing, since he totally drives the groove throughout. The rest of the band – this time featuring Quiet Riot’s Carlos Cavazo and ex-Dio man Rowan Robertson filling the twin guitar ranks – certainly don’t slouch here, either.
During these very punchy four minutes you’ll encounter a chunky rhythm guitar sound, a chorus bolstered by natural harmonies and a couple of very angry lead breaks. With Shortino tempering his metallic vocal tendencies with more of a blues rock lilt, this also strikes a balance between a retro hard rock melody and bombast.
Even a lyric championing a love of music sits just right. Instead of wallowing in bad clichés, it appears to be heartfelt in its celebratory stance, which coupled with a slab of rock that could have been written at any point post-1980, creates one of the best KK album openers to date.

Equally good in an old fashioned sense, ‘Secrets & Lies’ cranks the speed to something much closer to Dio’s ‘Stand Up & Shout’, but mixes a few metallic edges with more of a driving rock ‘n’ roll sound. This allows Carmine to settle into a brilliant drum part where the Bonzo obsessions give way to a hard, rattling groove and the guitarists get a much broader musical canvas with which to work.
‘Turn Up The Music’ is a nice midtempo number with a touch of smoke, whilst ‘Drownin’’ adds a little more grit and stomps up a storm with a great refrain. ‘One More Night’ is another Bluesy mid-tempo rocker that has a Rainbow / Deep Purple flavour and like everything here a great vocal from Shortino.

For a bit of deja vu, ‘Love Hurts’ is the cover of the Boudleaux Bryant song originally made famous by the Everly Brothers and covered by the immortal Nazareth, a band who had a real knack of taking a pop song and rocking out with it (reaching number 8 in the U.S. in 1976). This version is a real homage to Dan McCafferty and perfect for Shortino’s voice.
‘Dance’ and its sleazy slow crawl is another winner; before ‘Darkness’ adds some cowbell led big groove retro Zeppelin to the mix; and title track ‘We Are Warriors’ an homage to the Sunset Strip that has that early 80s flavour down pat.
We close what will be the vinyl version with the highway song ‘Drive Like Lightning’ that adds a little more cool bluesy midtempo rocking to the mix, very much in keeping with the style of the album.

The CD adds two additional tracks: the stuttering groovy ‘Trouble’, and the brilliant ‘Side By Side’ that takes an unexpected detour into AOR territory, and although nowhere near as shiny, it’s possible to hear a little of ‘Thrill of A Lifetime’ coming through a buoyant verse where clean guitar tones join a confident vocal. Shortino sounds like a tuneful Paul Sabu, and that makes his vocal choice a perfect fit for the rising melodies of a great 80s-tastic chorus, and although long-serving bassist Johnny Rod is way too low in the mix, it’s just about possible to pick him out as he adds an anchoring groove beneath the guitars.
It seems a pity to hide such a gem at the end of the album, but since the previous three releases suggested this part of KK’s musical history was dead, to close this record on such a positive note gives a spark of hope for any future releases.

This fifth outing from King Kobra delivers some strong old-school metal / hard rock with Paul Shortino sounding more comfortable than ever as the band’s frontman. The new guitarists are a good fit for the band, and as a whole the new line up shows a reasonable amount of spark.
A strong comeback. Highly Recommended

01 – Music Is A Piece Of Art
02 – Turn Up The Music
03 – Secrets And Lies
04 – Drownin’
05 – One More Night
06 – Love Hurts
07 – Dance
08 – Darkness
09 – We Are Warriors
10 – Drive Like Lightning
BONUS TRACKS [CD ONLY]:
11 – Trouble
12 – Side By Side

Paul Shortino – vocals
Carmine Appice – drums, vocals
Johnny Rod – bass
Carlos Cavazo – guitar
Rowan Robertson – guitar

Pre order:
amazon.com/We-Are-Warriors-King-Kobra/dp/B0C79BMHST