On disc: Voodoo Circle

 
 Voodoo Circle
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Broken Heart Syndrome
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 More Than One Way Home
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 

More Than One Way Home

(AFM Records - 2013)



 
 

 

All star band Voodoo Circle is back with More Than One Way Home, it's amazing that these busy guys manage to do albums frequently and can keep the high quality level. They know each others skills and so give everybody the chance to shine - it seems this is a band without egos....



They kick off with Graveyard City, a riff-based rocker which shows David Readman's admiration for Whitesnake singer David Coverdale and brings back 1987. Songs Heart Of Babylon have a dash of Deep Purple and due to the vocals a Whitesnake-ish edge, but it just works due to the great craftsmanship of the band members. Cry For Love offers great Hammond organ sounds and is a powerful tune with slow passages and catchy sing-along parts. The Ghost In Your Heart has a Deep Purple-sque touch, it's a  heavy rocker with a catchy refrain. Even heavy is Bane Of My Existence, sharp guitar riffs and melodic vocals. It almost sounds like a left-over from 1987 writing sessions... The closer Open Your Eyes is a fast, riff-based rocker, but also offers mid-paced parts. An ear catcher.









Towards the end I miss a bit variety, at least with Victim Of Love they offer a slower track... But well, this isn't something which should keep you from grabbing a copy! If like their first albums or if you have Whitesnake's 1987 and Deep Purple albums in your collection, then go for it!



 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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Broken Heart Syndrome

(AFM Records - 2011)



 
 

 



In 2008 Alex Beyrodt founded Voodoo Circle with Mat Sinner and David Readman, the album was completed by keyboarder Jimmy Kresic and drummer Mel Gaynor. Now Markus Kullmann is the man at the drums. As on the self-titled debut Voodoo Circle offered 70's hard rock, but in a heavy way.

The open with No Solution Blues, an up-tempo rock which carries the 70's hard rock spirit, is spiced up with some neo-classical guitar and a catchy hook. Fans of 70's hard rock will find references to the masters of hard rock. King Of Your Dreams sounds like a melange of Whitesnake, Deep Purple and Dio. Slowly they open Devil's Daughter, a very bluesy tune opening. But then the song gets heavier and more powerful while keeping the bluesy touch. Great guitar play. For This Could Be Paradise they speed up a bit, presenting a melodic metal (Scandinavian variety) tune spiced up with the 70's hard rock vibe. It seems that Deep Purple were the inspiration for the title track, even if the vocals are a homage to David Coverdale, so nothing really new, but very entertaining. Another bluesy tune is Blind Man which gets ennobled by Kresic's Hammond organ. Time to speed up again for Heal My Pain and The Heavens Are Burning, more melodic metal then hard rock - but with the Hammond sound. With Don't Take My Heart they bring back the early / mid-80's sound of Whitesnake. An ear catcher!



To talk about the talent of the Voodoo Circle guys would be like carrying coals to Newcastle, but I want to mention that David Readman's vocal performance is outstanding.

 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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Alex Beyrodt's Voodoo Circle

(AFM Records - 2008)



 
 

 

With Voodoo Circle a new band project is out to conquer the world! Voodoo Circle came to life when Silent Force guitarist Alex Beyrodt had songs which didn't fit to his main band and which are more based in powerful melodic metal, but with the 70's hard rock vibe. Voodoo Circle is now Pink Cream 69 singer David Readman, bassist Mat Sinner, drummer Mel Gaynor (Gary Moore, Simple Minds), keyboarder Jimmy Kresic and guitar virtuoso Alex Beyrodt. Mr. Beyrodt invited some musicians as guest and so you can also hear on the disc Dougie White, Rudy Sarzo, Richard Andersson and Norifumi Shima (Concerto Moon). Unfortunately there is no information on which songs the guests appear - and I don't want to guess!



Now they present the first album of Voodoo Circle which kicks off heavily with Spewing Lies. Heavy riffs and powerful drumming force them ahead and you soon get the first dose of neo-classical guitar, but when David Readman joins in Alex steps back to give the vocals enough space. The song can hook you up with its refrain, but also with the 70's hard rock vibe. A heavy rocker is Desperate Heart which really brings back the hard rock vibe. And they even top this with Kingdom Of The Blind! An ear catcher! With Man And Machine they keep the level, unfortunately here the voice-over passages at the promo copy start and it's impossible to hear details during the voice-over. With an Oriental touch kicks off Dream Of Eden - reminds me a bit of Deep Purple... A heavy rocker with Hammond organ and so the vintage sound of the 70's. An up-tempo rocker is Angels Will Cry, but isn't just a straight forward rocker, it also has some mid-tempo parts. With White Lady Requiem you get some neo-classical guitar, and this instrumental is probably what you expect from Alex Beyrodt. At the limited edition you'll find 2 bonus tracks, but on the regular one this is the last track and if you aren't into neo-classical instrumental music, then just start allover again. ;)



The Voodoo Circle debut should please all fans of melodic metal and hard rock! Check out: Desperate Heart, Man And Machine and Enter My World Of Darkness.
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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