KROKUS
"Hellraiser"
(Locomotive; 2006)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
It's funny. Back in the day, when Krokus were huge, I was never a big fan of the band. I mean, I enjoyed their hits ("Eat the Rich," "Screaming in the Night") and I even had a record or two, but I always thought they were the cheesiest of heavy metal bands. As entertaining as their music was, it was heavy with cliches and their lyrics were sometimes just flat out silly.
But now here it is 2006 and I've got the latest Krokus CD, "Hellraiser," in my CD player for, like, the seventh time since I got it just last week. And you know what? It's one of the most enjoyable and addictive CDs to cross my desk all year.
"Hellraiser" captures the classic 80s metal sound better than any release I've heard in a long, long time. It's got crunchy, early AC/DC-like rockers ("Midnite Fantasy"), it's got kick-ass anthems ("Fight On," "Rocks Off!") and it's got the prerequisite 80s-style metal ballads ("Angel of My Dreams," "Hangman"). It's got it all.
What "Hellraiser" has far less of is the cheese. The band has matured in the thirty years of their existence and that's apparent in the lyrics and presentation here. Those of you who, like me, don't mind a little cheesiness here and there will be pleased to know that it's not completley absent in "Hellraiser." There's just far less of it.
And maybe that's why "Hellraiser" works so well. This CD grabbed me from the first listen to the seventh (so far!). It takes the classic 80s style and unapologetically celebrates it, without modernizing it. This is no "updated" version of Krokus; this is the Krokus we all remember. And it's freaking great to hear them back in action again!
For more information, check out http://www.krokusonline.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2006 by R. Scott Bolton. All
rights reserved.
Revised:
15 Dec 2011 01:02:46 -0600
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