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On disc: Shakra



Rising - Claudia Ehrhardt - 9 stars
Everest - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars
Back On Track - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars
Powerplay - Lars Bjørn - 9 stars


www.shakra.ch







Powerplay

Powerplay
(AFM Records - 2013)


Shakra is starting 2013 with a release of their album no. 9, a beefy case called Powerplay. They are facing a new website, www.shakra.ch is under construction at the moment, but their music is not under construction, it's as professional as you could search for. Wonderful metal that fits right into your pocket, if your pocket is big enough that is, because this new Powerplay album is big and successful, melodic natural metal with singer John Prakesh in top form, and 11 songs from their creative hands. Life Is Now starts the fire with power metal incl. great guitars, melodic construction and smile bringing music. The Mask brings some Dio inspired music to town, again super guitar work and good attitude. Wonderful Life is a ballad that they have launched as a radio single, Aerosmith inspired and with great hit potential. Save You From Yourself is melodic AOR rock that proves their class, and a great guitar solo just to underline their creativity. Because Of You has lots of AOR rock combined with harder metal in a great mix that also saves a standard metal fans day. Generally Shakra has a good understanding of making a good combination of soft and hard metal with appeals to a wide specter of metal fans, a great quality to possess.


9 stars

Lars Bjørn
 

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Back On Track

Back On Track
(AFM Records - 2011)


With Back On Track Swiss rockers Shakra comeback with a new singer. Well, they haven't been gone, but former singer Mark Fox announced during the 2009 European Everest tour that he'll leave the band. So Shakra had to look for a new shouter and with John Prakesh they found a guy who sounds quite similar to Fox. The opener B True B You is a typical Shakra tune - heavy guitars and catchy vocal lines. Songs like I'll Be, Crazy and the title track Back On Track proof that Shakra is still the same - even with a new shouter. With When I See You they offer a powerful ballad, but they always offered ballads on their albums, so it isn't a big surprise and with Loneliness they have another to offer. At MMTWGR they add some distorted guitars, gets a modern touch... With Yesterday's Gone they show new sound facet, but it's Stronger Than Ever which is a real heavy track, but with a catchy refrain.
With Back On Track they stay on track, the new singer didn't really effect the Shakra sound - not just because he sounds similar to his predecessor. If you love Shakra's previous albums, then Back On Track won't disappoint you.


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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Everest

Everest
(AFM Records - 2009)


Swiss hard rockers Shakra deliver now their 7th studio album called Everest - and everybody who loves them won't be disappointed!
The open up with the riff-based rocker Ashes To Ashes, a catchy tune with melodic guitar leads by Thom Blunier. A bit dragging is Love & Pain, a track which somehow reminds me of Gotthard and partly Victory... But its an ear catcher! They speed up a bit for Let Me Lie My Life To You, another cool rocker - this time with a balladesque edge. And it seems that this them Shakra really want to show Gotthard & co. that they can do it! That they want to take over the hard rock throne. Time for some ballad - Why! The song sounds familiar, but I can't fathom it.... Not bad, but it don't really get me. After the ballad they rock again! The Journey shows the Swiss quite heavy and its also a quite long track, but.one of my favorites! Regressive Evolution easily hooks you up! Heavy riffing combined with Mark Fox' emotional vocals - this is Shakra at their best! After another catchy one they add some heaviness for Right Between The Eyes. With Insanity they present another highlight before they close this chapter with Hopeless. With piano they head into the powerful balladesque Hopeless. A strong closer.
Shakra present a strong album with some heavy rockers and some catchy tunes. I miss a real killer tune, something which haunts you for days... And there are a few songs which are more average... But no fillers. Hard rock fans should check out Everest, even if they haven't made it to the top - they are getting closer!


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 








Rising

Rising
(Point Music - 2003)


This is the 4th studio album of the Swiss hard rockers, but the first one with their new singer Mark Fox. Until the day their former singer Pete left the band, it seemed like nothing could stop them and when Pete left due to health problems the band took the challenge to find a singer who can step in. With Mark Fox they found a new member for Shakra and on Rising they present the new line-up for the first time. Musically the Swiss quintet stick to their roots. Opening with Now Or Never - seems that it was their motto when they recorded this one - a heavy rocker with gives a first impression about the new vocalist who has a deep, slightly hoarse voice. The chorus is catchy and more 'polished' then the rest which has a dirty sound - not talking about the production! With Done Me Wrong they slow down a little, a balladesque mid-tempo rocker. The vocals carry the songs melody while the guitars partly set a counterpart and so support the song in an unusual way. The guitar solo of Thom Blunier add some screaming guitar, but don't get too much up front. Both song kinda show the different sides of Shakra. With I Will Be There they present a ballad which just starts with keyboard - done by Viktor Rettenmund - and Mark's voice. The five-some change between keyboard / vocal parts and parts where the whole band joins in. Here and there the lead guitar comes in more up front, but just for a few seconds. A sound element, just to support the songs atmosphere.
Another good song to check out the latest release of the Swiss is Little Stories. And My Life - My World. Or the other ballad... Anything. Or just buy the album!
This release shows again the talent of the young band and that Switzerland is the origin of hard rock / heavy metal bands, just think of bands like Krokus, Gotthard, China and Crystal Ball.


9 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

           ©2008-2015 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com


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