CZAKAN – Unreal (2023)
After the remastered re-release of the much acclaimed CZAKAN debut album 1989’s “State of Confusion” (featured in exclusive at 0dayrox) Pride & Joy music wil release the band’s new album “Unreal” – thus their first new LP in over 30 years.
“Unreal” consists of 14 new tracks composed by the band, still in the original Czakan line-up from 1989. The recording was produced by guitarist Oliver ‘OG’ Güttinger in the band’s own Greenbox studios.
Within this new album, Czakan had all the strings in their own hands, from songwriting to production & mix. This can also be clearly heard in the songs, which sound like the band intended to. From the rocking opener ‘Free Line’ – which is also featured as the first single release and video – to the hit-worthy finale of ‘Show me all your Love’, everything sounds vibrant, sharp rocking.
At first listen, you can safely say CZAKAN hasn’t lost any of their charm. On “Unreal” you’ll find some classy melodic hard rock songs bordering in on AOR such as ‘Burns Like A Fire’ with warm and wide keyboards in the background. Ironically enough I find ‘Masquerade’ sounding very much like Scandi AOR – and Masquerade was one very strong Swedish band in the same category!
‘Free Line’ has classic hard rock sound with guitars akin Thin Lizzy y M.S.G., heavy keyboards and an overall 70’s/80’s spirit. Then ‘Getting Hungry’ rocks harder mixing the bounce of Dokken with some vitage UFO,
The nice harmony vocals in ‘My sweet Love’ sounds a lot like House Of Shakira. Even more Scandinavian vibes are heard in ‘Living In a Nightmare’ which comes close to some mid-to-late 80s songs by Europe. Even a trace of early Shotgun Symphony and From The Fire.
In the last phase of the album we get more variation like in ”Locked In A Cage”, which sounds like ’80s Bad Company-Brian Howe era, and a chorus not far from Boston. Fine taste and class again, showing the quality of this band.
Almost with the line up intact, CZAKAN has that ’80s fragance still impregnated on their leather jackets. “Unreal” takes back the melodic hard rock from their origins and adds a healthy dose of timeless classic rock / hard rock.
These Germans rock greatly, welcome back.
Highly Recommended
01 – Free Line
02 – Getting Hungry
03 – Breaking all the Rules
04 – Living in a Nightmare
05 – Get Down
06 – Burns Like a Fire
07 – Under the Gun
08 – City Nights
09 – Masquerade
10 – She is a Woman
11 – Winners Don’t Cry
12 – My Sweet Love
13 – Locked in a Cage
14 – Show Me All Your Love
Michael Schennach (vocals)
Oliver Güttinger (guitar)
Tom Fein (keys)
Frank Schrafft (bass)
Randy Arcachon (drums)
Pre order:
www.amazon.co.uk/Unreal-Czaken/dp/B0BW3419ML
