When King Kobra reunited in 2010 after almost 25 years apart it was almost the original line-up with Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt, Quiet Riot) joining drummer Carmine Appice, guitarists David Michael Philips and Mick Sweda and bassist Johnny Rod, replacing original singer Mark/Marcie Free. Two good enough records – King Kobra (2011) and II (2013) were released but failed to make any impact at all so things turned quiet from the camp. Until that dreadful performance at Sweden Rock Festival in 2016. Sweda had jumped ship by then and had been replaced by one Jordan Ziff, an unknown talent that later joined Stephen Pearcy’s version of Ratt. That the band released a live album from that gig is beyond me but after one listen it’s easy to state that the end-result was mostly a studio-job. I thought that King Kobra was done after that.
Fast forward eight years and after years of silence all of a sudden a new King Kobra record is being released albeit with a different line-up. Shortino, Appice and Rod are still with the band but the guitar duo is new. Former Quiet Riot and Ratt guitarist Carlos Cavazo and Rowan Robertson who released an album with Dio in 1990 as a 17-year old – Lock Up The Wolves – has completed the line-up and to be honest, the record showed up pretty much out of the blue. That said, I was quite intrigued to sink my teeth into the album and see in what way the band had risen from the ashes once more. And the line-up looked interesting enough.
In the vein of the two previous albums both in style and sound, King Kobra opens the album with a groove laden stomper called “Music Is A Piece Of Art”. It’s a mid paced yet upbeat rocker with a bluesy vibe and a Zeppelin-esque swagger built on a beefy rhythm and rough-edged guitars. It’s melodic yet not hit-laden and the chorus isn’t all that direct but it’s good enough and it does its job. The following “Turn Up The Music” is more uptempo and holds a clearer nod towards the band’s older Melodic Rock days blending a chunky rhythm and cool riffs with AOR-laden melody-hooks. It’s a smoother track with a nod to late 70’s/early 80’s AOR and holds a juicy crunch but also a big chorus with a good dose of hit-potential. Good one.
On a more direct and straight ahead note the uptempo and ballsy “Secrets And Lies” takes aim and tries to hit us right on the jaw but misses by an inch. It’s energetic and holds a riff that would fit an early Dio record but as a whole the song comes off as too standard with melodies that really don’t grabs a hold and a chorus that never takes off. With some rough edges and a heavier outlook, “Drownin'” holds a darker soundscape with some doom-flirting guitar riffs and a powerful thud on the drums. It’s a kicking Hard Rock slammer with a good enough main melody and an in-your-face chorus with a hooky catchiness. Pretty good, this one.
“One More Night” takes on some bluesy Classic Rock vibes with a slight nod to both Deep Purple and Rainbow. A rootsy slide-guitar shows where this tune is going and the guitar riffs are all pretty juicy and distinct which works fine with the intense bottom-groove. It’s also big on memorable melodies and it brings on a crispy Melodic Rock meets Classic Rock chorus. Pretty good. Then there’s the cover of “Love Hurts”, the tune Nazareth had a mega-hit with and is one of the most over-played tunes in history. It’s really a good track but I grew tired of it years ago. King Kobra does justice to the song, though. While staying true to the original, Shortino really gives it new life and sings it with all the glory. Still, to cover it is both unimaginative and unnecessary and in all honesty, I can live without this cover.
The heaviest track on the album without a doubt is the slow-paced “Dance”, a metal-fueled, punchy and robust hard-rocker with its feet in mid 70’s Hard Rock. It’s dark and gritty and headbang friendly with a massive riff and rowdy vocal-melodies but still brings on some memorable melodies and a stellar refrain. Very good. Continuing the slower tempo “Darkness” is heavy too with a chunky groove, a ballsy riff and pumping bass-lines and quite frankly it sounds like a leftover from the brilliant Shortino-fronted Quiet Riot album. It also holds bluesier moments that again throws a glance at Led Zeppelin. It’s a good tune with a good, driving refrain.
The title-track and single takes a bigger 80’s approach and ends up somewhere between Quiet Riot and Ratt with a mid 80’s Arena Rock structure. It’s a steady rocker made for the stage and a fun-loving main melody brings on the party mood. Lyrically it’s on the cliché side and hails the Sunset Strip days with Rock ‘n’ Roll, parties and groupies. It’s a decent song, though but the chorus could have been stronger and it doesn’t hold enough hit-potential for a hit-single. “Drive Like Lightning” also falls into oblivion pretty fast. It’s rough, uptempo and driving with a robust rhythm. Another Led Zep swagger, a Mötley Crüe like riff and a juicy chorus melody could make for a winner but I can’t find a direct hook and the song is filed under “decent only”.
If you only stream or buy the vinyl, the album ends here but for CD buyers there are two more tracks. “Trouble” is a rhythmic rocker with a kicking drive and a live-friendly outlook where the groove is concise and firey and the whole tune is built on an electrifying stomp. Shortino’s vocal melodies again brings back his Quiet Riot days and there are some shining hooks that makes the tune stick especially in the embracing chorus. Good one. The semi-ballad “Side By Side” ends the album on a softer and smoother note. It actually brings back the pop-tastic AOR-flirts of King Kobra’s days of old and Shortino delivers the tune as a champion. It might be 80’s slick but it’s charming with easily grabbed melodies and a huge chorus that screams hit. To have this as a CD only song is a mistake as it really is single material.
Sonically this album drives in the same lane as the two previous albums and that goes for the musical style and the song writing as well. I guess it’s safe to say that this is a record that probably won’t make an impact to talk about either. I actually wonder if people knows that the record even exists. Quality wise it’s an uneven effort and the weakest of the three Shortino fronted albums. It’s not a bad record though because there are some stellar stuff on it. The problem is – and it has that in common with the last two albums – even the good songs are good while listening but lacks the memorable longevity, something the band’s two first albums had. All in all, a decent record enjoyable for the moment.
5/10
More King Kobra reviews:
Tracklist:
1. Music Is A Piece Of Art
2. Turn Up The Music
3. Secrets And Lies
4. Drownin’
5. One More Night
6. Love Hurts
7. Dance
8. Darkness
9. We Are Warriors
10. Drive Like Lightning
11. Trouble
12. Side By Side
CD & Festival reviews 